FRONTISPIECE 


MRS.  vSARAH  POWELL  GIDDINGS  AND  HER 
CHILDREN. 

ENOSHURG   FALLS,  VERMONT,    1874. 


mt  ENEMIES'  LAND 


PERSONflL  BXrERIENCB 


BY 


SARAH  POWE.LL  GIDDINGS. 


ILLUSTRATED 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  3899 

BY  SARAH  POWELL  GIDDINGS 

In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

ALL    RIGHTS   RESERVED. 


RBGAN  PRINTING  HOUSE,  CHICAGO 


CT 

INTRODUCTION. 


After  many  years  of  servitude  and  patient  waiting 
on  the  Lord  to  bless  my  feeble  efforts  to  serve  him, 
obedient  to  his  command  I  present  my  personal  experi- 
ence to  the  cold  gaze  of  the  critic.  I  realize  the  sacred- 
ness  of  home  and  the  duty  I  owe  unto  my  God  who  so 
wonderfully  has  watched  over  me  during  my  pilgrim- 
age here  within  this  land  of  boasted  morality  and 
religion. 

Trusting  the  Holy  Spirit's  blessing  will  rest  upon 
this  record  of  truth,  that  it  may  live  forever  and  bring 
forth  the  fruits  of  the  spirit  to  enlighten,  encourage 
and  strengthen  the  readers,  that  they  may  grasp  the 
cross  of  Christ,  however  heavy,  and  press  forward  for 
the  prize,  a  peace  which  the  world  cannot  take  away,  a 
rest  that  is  only  known  to  the  people  of  God. 

My  object  is  not  the  exposure  of  any  who  have  with- 
stood me  in  my  struggle  for  perfection,  for  the  Lord 
made  me  see  that  his  mercy  extends  unto  all  people, 
even  unto  those  that  deny  his  holy  name.  Luke  10:23, 
24.  By  their  works  we  are  to  know  whether  their  lives 
are  in  tune  with  the  gospel  keynotes,  Peace  on  earth, 
good  will  to  men.  Should  a  different  spirit  show  itself 
on  any  page  of  this  book.  I  trust  the  Lord  will  give 
the  reader  grace  to  know  that  it  has  crept  in  unawares 
and  did  not  proceed  from  my  heart  nor  from  the  Al- 
mighty whose  goodness  and  mercy  is  shown  in  all  his 
works,  whose  power  and  strength  must  be  acknowl- 
edged by  all  nations,  and  will  eventually  bring  all  hid- 
den things  of  darkness  to  light. 

This  record  of  truth  proves  that  the  strong  arm  of 
the  Lord  \vill  sustain  and  strengthen  his  persecuted 
children  who  trust  in  him,  as  his   faithful  witnesses 


r.9G313 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

have  testified  in  all  ages.  Luke  24:48.  May  the  evi- 
dence given  bring  tidings  of  great  joy  to  those  that  lan- 
guish in  solitude  or  are  passing  through  fiery  affliction 
with  no  hope  of  deliverance.  The  Lord  is  strong  and 
powerful  and  will  deliver  and  reward  all  that  patiently 
wait  his  appointed  time. 

I  calumniate  no  one,  but  simply  relate  the  truth, 
when  I  disclose  the  skeleton  within  my  own  closet  and 
reveal  unto  the  world  secrets  hid  for  many  years. 
Though  they  may  fall  among  thorns  or  on  stony  soil, 
I  trust  that  the  Holy  Spirit  will  bless  the  seed  sowing 
in  this  little  volume. 

That  every  reader  of  these  pages  may  have  light 
given  to  understand  the  truth  according  to  the  scrip- 
tures and  inherit  eternal  life  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  is  the  prayer  of  the  author, 

Sarah  Powell  Giddings. 

"And  ye  shall  know  the  truth  and  the  truth  shall 
make  you  free." — John  8  :32. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Chapter   I.— Early   Reminiscences— The    Christmas    Party 
and  Strange  Marriage   9 

Chapter  II.— My  Husband's  Peculiar  Malady— An  Amus- 
ing Incident *^ 

Chapter  III.— My  Experience  as  a  Servant— Dark  Hours— 
The  Heavenly  Band  and  Warning  Voice 30 

Chapter  IV.— The  Spring  Lot— A  Successful  Plot— I  Unite 
with  the  Church  42 

Chapter  V.— Days  of  Poverty— My  Child  of  Prayer 50 

Chapter  VI.— A   Noble   Sacrifice— My    Strange   Marriage 
Explained — A    Conspiracy    55 

Chapter  VII.— Sorrowful  Days— The  Orphans'  Home- 
Canvassing  Experience    ^5 

Chapter  VIII. — A  Mysterious  Paper— Mansions  in  the  Sky 
— Oliver  Cooper's  Vision  of  Hell 83 

Chapter  IX.— The  Only  Heir— Unlawful  Proceedings 96 

Chapter  X. — Experience  with  Attorneys — Leaving  Home — 
A  Conspiracy ^  ^^ 

Chapter  XL— A  Subject  Worthy  of  Thought— The  Hidden 
Hand  in  Local  Politics— The  Mysterious  Conduct  of  My 
Landlord  129 

Chapter  XII. — Boarding-House  Experiences — More  Work- 
ings of  the  Enemies— A  Word  to  the  W.  C.  T.  U 142 

Chapter  XIII.— My  Child  of  Promise  Called  Home— A 
Glorious  Vision    147 

Chapter  XIV.— A  Crafty  Plot  Foiled— My  Goods  De- 
tained Unlawfully — Again  I  am  Delivered  out  of  Their 

Hands    153 

7 


8  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 
Chapter  XV. — My  Son's  Fatal  Illness — A  Lesson  of  Im- 
mortality   165 

Chapter  XVI. — Mr.  Giddings'  Last  Sickness — On  His 
Death  Bed  He  Makes  a  Startling  Revelation 174 

Chapter  XVII. — My  Efiforts  to  Get  a  Pension — The  True 
Secret  of  Many  Pension  Frauds  187 

Chapter  XVIII. — A  Theme  for  Consideration — An  At- 
tempt to  Take  Away  my  Land — The  State's  Attorney's 
Advice  to  a  Tax  Collector  200 

Chapter  XIX. — The  Current  Phrase — Unintelligible  De- 
feat in  an  Election — A  Woman  in  the  Case 214 

Chapter  XX. — Causes  of  Intemperance  and  Anarchy 244 

Chapter  XXI. — My  Experience  with  Associations — A  Re- 
markable Sermon — Fallen   Leaves — A  Revelation 349 

Chapter  XXII.— The  True  Cause  of  Rural  Degeneracy 
and  Multiplied  Divorces — An  Appeal  to  the  People — 
Conclusion    256 


IN  THE  ENEMIES'  LAND. 

CHAPTER  I. 

EARLY  REMINISCENCES. THE  CHRISTMAS   PARTY. A 

STRANGE    MARRIAGE. 

While  no  human  Hfe  exactly  duplicates  another,  Na- 
ture and  Destiny  alike  closely  guarding  the  sacredness 
of  the  individual,  make  many  lives  so  replete  with  start- 
ling incidents  and  strange  leadings  of  Providence  as  to 
deserve  special  record.  Mine  has  been  one  of  these 
marvelously  chequered  histories. 

In  the  year  1875  I  felt  bidden,  as  by  a  Divine  Voice, 
to  write  out  these  reminiscences.  Over  twenty-five 
years  have  passed  since  then,  and  many  pages  of  unfin- 
ished manuscript  lie  before  me  in  confusion,  like  the 
tangled  threads  of  my  own  life,  which  only  the  hand  of 
the  All-Wise  can  ever  unravel.  As  the  afternoon  shad- 
ows begin  to  steal  across  my  pathway  again  I  take  up 
the  uncompleted  task,  feeling  that  I  am  better  fitted  to 
write  such  a  record  than  when  I  began.  For  now  I  can 
write  from  the  standpoint  of  the  Psalmist,  who  "re- 
membered the  days  of  old,"  that  he  might  thereby  teach 
others  the  lesson  of  a  personal  faith  in  a  personal  God ; 
a  faith  which  in  my  case,  however  it  may  have  suffered 
temporary  eclipse,  has  ever  been  my  abiding  source  of 
strength. 

For  Christ's  sake  I  suppress  the  names  of  some  of 
the  chief  actors  in  this  story.  In  no  point  is  it  fiction, 
but  that  truth  which  is  stranger  than  fiction,  and,  on 
this  account,  so  often  ignored  and  pronounced  "incred- 
ible." 


lO  IN    THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

The  point  of  chief  interest,  because  therefrom  dates 
the  fiery  trial  through  which  for  many  years  I  was 
called  to  pass,  was  my  marriage  with  Lewis  Giddings, 
a  soldier  of  the  Civil  War.  And  here  I  may  say,  out  of 
justice  to  himself  and  others  who  have  lost  their  health, 
and,  enfeebled  in  mind  and  body,  have  no  power  to  bat- 
tle with  the  strong,  that  he  was  not  responsible  for  the 
disgrace  brought  upon  himself  and  family  through  the 
deep-laid  plots  of  wicked  and  designing  men ;  a  class 
well  described  by  the  Psalmist : 

"He  sitteth  in  the  lurking  places  of  the  villages;  in 
the  secret  pla-ces  doth  he  murder  the  innocent;  his  eyes 
are  privily  set  against  the  poor.  He  lieth  in  wait  se- 
cretly, as  a  lion  in  his  den;  he  lieth  in  wait  to  catch  the 
poor;  he  doth  catch  the  poor,  when  he  draweth  him  into 
his  net.  He  croucheth  and  hmnhleth  himself  that  the 
poor  may  fall  by  his  strong  ones.  He  hath  said  in  his 
heart,  God  hath  forgotten;  he  hideth  his  face;  he  will 
not  see  it." 

Thus  they  thought  in  regard  to  me.  Being  a  poor 
and  friendless  girl,  what  should  hinder  me  from  becom- 
ing their  easy  prey?  But  although  I  was  caught  in 
their  snare,  like  many  another  before  and  since,  they 
found  that  they  had  not  my  weak  strength  alone  to  bat- 
tle with,  for  that  would  have  been  small  indeed  when 
opposed  to  the  wiles  of  such  influential  men ;  but  the 
strength  of  the  Lord  who,  I  believe,  has  caused  me  to 
pass  through  these  strange  experiences  that  I  might,  in 
my  more  mature  years,  "bring  to  light  the  hidden  works' 
of  darkness"  and  expose  the  crimes  practiced  upon  the 
poor  who  have  no  human  helper. 

My  maiden  name  was  Sarah  Powell.  I  was  the 
daughter  of  Martin  Powell  and  Emily  Farnsworth. 
They  were  married  by  Levi  Miller,  Esq.,  February  24, 
1844,  in  Lewisville,  St.  Lawrence  county,  in  the  State 
of  New  York,  at  the  home  of  her  father,  Moses  Farns- 
worth. 

My  paternal  grandfather  was  Miles  Powell,  whose 


A   PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  I  I 

wife  was  a  daughter  of  Solomon  Stearns,  of  Highgate, 
Vt,  where  their  marriage  took  place. 

I  was  born  May  9,  1847.  The  beautiful  country  and 
the  deep  waters  of  Racket  river,  which  flowed  near  my 
home,  impressed  my  young  heart  with  mysterious  awe. 
Why  did  the  river  sometimes  flow  so  silently  and 
smoothly,  and  then  again  with  such  angry  haste? 
Whence  came  that  wonderful  force  which  broke  up  the 
ice  in  the  spring  and  set  it  floating  in  great  cakes  down 
the  current,  to  vanish  before  the  heat  of  the  lengthening 
days  ?  Whence  came  the  dew  by  night,  and  the  showers 
by  day,  for  the  refreshment  of  the  tiniest  wayside  flower 
that  opens  its  eyes  heavenward  ?  I  loved  to  watch  the 
lightning  flash  and  listen  to  the  deep  roar  of  the  thun- 
der. The  drifting  of  the  \vinter  snows ;  the  coming  of 
the  flowers;  the  changing  seasons, — all  these  were  so 
many  great  and  beautiful  mysteries  of  my  child-heart. 

As  I  grew  older  I  began  to  realize  that  there  must 
be  a  Supreme  Creator,  and  that  this  wonderful  world 
was  the  work  of  his  hands.  I  took  an  interest  in 
the  Bible  for  the  revelation  it  gave  me  of  the  charac- 
ter of  this  great  Being,  who  had  given  his  only  Son  to 
redeem  a  fallen  and  lost  race.  I  longed  to  be  his  child  ; 
but  how  could  I,  a  poor  little  country  girl,  find  favor  in 
the  eyes  of  this  mighty  King  of  Heaven?  I  whose 
heart  no  one  seemed  to  understand  but  my  dear,  faith- 
ful old  Tige,  who  was  my  constant  companion,  and 
licked  my  face  consolingly  -when  I  whispered  to  him 
my  fears  that  Satan  would  get  us  both,  and  we  should 
be  thrown  into  the  dreadful  lake  of  fire — the  terrors  of 
which,  even  at  this  early  age,  greatly  impressed  my 
childish  imagination.  Almost  from  infancy  my  relig- 
ious impressions  were  deep  and  vivid.  I  determined  to 
do-  all  in  my  power  to  find  favor  in  the  sight  of  this 
great  God  of  the  universe. 

The  grave  of  my  only  sister  was  on  my  grandfather's 
farm,  where  I  passed  my  childhood  days.  I  often 
sought  that  grassy  mound,  and,  lifting  my  tearful  eyes 


12  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

heavenward,  would  beg  the  Lord  to  be  a  father  to  me 
and  keep  me  from  harm.  These  feehngs  increased 
with  my  years,  and  my  heart  cried  continually  unto  the 
Lx)rd  to  send  me  some  proof  of  his  love.  I  promised 
him  that  I  would  be  willing  to  suffer  and  endure  all 
things  for  his  sake ;  if  he  would  only  give  me  assurance 
that  I  was  indeed  his  child.  I  often  cried  myself  to 
sleep,  praying  the  Lord  to  have  pity  on  me. 

My  request  was  granted.  Thereby  the  world  became 
my  foe ;  but  I  would  not  exchange,  for  all  its  pleasures 
and  honors,  the  proof  which  my  eyes  have  seen  and  my 
ears  have  heard  that  I  am  his.  And  now,  as  his  wit- 
ness, I  testify  in  Jesus'  name  that  the  age  of  signs  and 
wonders  has  not  yet  passed. 

I  was  about  fifteen  years  old  when  I  passed  through 
this  singular  experience.  I  had  entered  into  my  closet 
as  commanded,  and  while  praying  earnestly  for  some 
evidence  of  divine  favor,  a  sense  of  something  strange 
suddenly  came  over  me,  filling  me  with  such  awe  and 
fear  that  I  sprang  to  my  feet  and  ran  into  the  next 
room. 

A  golden  light  flashed  around  and  on  every  side  of 
me  like  electricity,  while  another  and  separate  light — a 
white  light — shone  on  the  Bible  which  I  was  holding 
open  in  my  hands.  To  my  astonishment,  the  letters 
seemed  changed  into  silver,  revealing  to  me  what  I  had 
not  before  understood — that  the  Bible  is  a  spiritual 
book,  and  can  only  be  interpreted  through  the  enlight- 
ening influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  I  saw  new  mean- 
ings on  every  page,  and  the  Lord  had  indeed  fulfilled 
his  promise:  "I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the 
house  of  Israel."  "And  also  upon  the  servants  and 
upon  the  handmaids  in  those  days  will  I  pour  out  my 
Spirit."  Joel  ii,  29.  It  seemed  to  me  that  all  sorrows 
and  fears  had  forever  vanished. 

The  next  day,  while  I  was  washing  dishes — for  I 
was  a  servant  girl  at  this  time — I  felt  a  consciousness 
that  the  Comforter  was  departing  from  me.     In  great 


A   PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  1 3 

fear  and  distress  I  started  for  my  secret  place  of 
prayer ;  but  ere  I  reached  the  door  this  illumination 
from  the  Holy  Spirit — for  such  I  profoundly  believe  it 
to  have  been — left  me,  and  with  the  suddenness  of  a 
lightning  flash  I  was  stricken  blind.  In  a  few  min- 
utes my  sight  gradually  returned,  but  the  Lord  had 
indeed  i)ut  his  laws  in  my  mind  and  written  them  on 
my  heart,  never  to  be  forgotten,  and  the  peace  which 
passeth  all  understanding  was  mine. 

For  several  months  I  kept  these  things  in  my  own 
heart,  like  Mary,  pondering  over  them  in  secret  and 
longing  for  more  light  and  knowledge.  Then,  hearing 
of  the  Spiritualists,  I  hired  out  as  a  servant  girl  in  the 
family  of  Hiram  Winslow,  a  very  noted  medium,  of 
Madrid,  N.  Y.,  hoping  that  I  might  find  in  this  new 
doctrine  the  further  spiritual  enlightenment  for  which 
I  craved.  Perhaps  it  is  needless  to  say  that  my  hopes  in 
this  direction  were  grievously  disappointed. 

Mr.  Winslow  explained  to  me  that  those  lights  which 
I  had  seen  were  the  spirits  of  departed  friends,  and 
proof  that  I  was  capable  of  becoming  a  great  medium. 
I  listened  to  his  instructions  and  sought  with  all  my 
heart  to  follow  his  advice,  with  the  result  that  I  soon 
became  a  convert — perhaps  I  should  write  it  pervert — 
to  Spiritualism,  thereby  losing  my  faith  in  Christ,  and 
all  my  new-found  joy. 

His  beloved  wife  was  very  sick.  Mr.  Winslow  sent 
to  New  York  City  and  other  places  for  great  healing 
mediums  to  visit  her.  They  were  always  told  of  the 
lights  I  had  seen,  and  I  soon  found  they  all  thought 
alike  in  regard  to  Christ,  considering  him  only  a  man, 
and  the  Bible  valuable  as  mere  history,  but  not  in 
any  sense  an  inspired  book.  They  tried  to  make  me 
think  I  was  mistaken  in  regard  to  the  white  light  shin- 
ing on  the  Bible,  and  it  always  annoyed  them  to  have 
me  insist  that  I  saw  the  letters  changed  into  silver. 
I  could  agree  with  them  on  every  other  subject,  but 
I  clung  to  the  inspired  Word  of  God ;  and  when  enter- 


14  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

ing  the  room  where  they  had  their  circles,  I  always 
put  my  little  Bible  in  my  pocket,  and  prayed  unto  God 
the  Father  not  to  let  me  be  led  astray. 

In  vain  I  sought  to  get  a  communication  from  my 
only  sister.  I  never  saw  the  least  sign  of  any  spir- 
itual manifestation.  They  claimed  that  they  could 
not  get  a  communication  when  I  was  present,  and 
after  a  time  I  was  not  allowed  in  their  circles.  I 
loved  and  read  the  "Banner  of  Light,"  and  my  Bible 
was  almost  wholly  neglected,  and  soon  became  a  book 
of  darkness  which  I  could  not  understand. 

When  I  first  saw  those  lights  I  gave  careful  heed  to 
all  my  ways,  and  resolved  that  I  would  live  without 
sin.  I  made  it  the  rule  of  my  life,  and  one  from  which 
I  have  never  wilfully  departed,  to  do  nothing  I  was 
afraid  to  have  known,  and  to  always  stand  on  the  side 
of  right,  without  fear  of  man.  But,  finding  the  Spir- 
itualists a  very  kind  and  sincere  people,  I  was  the 
more  easily  led  astray  by  their  erroneous  teachings, 
and  consequently  passed  through  a  period  of  deep 
spiritual  darkness,  in  which  I  seemed  forsaken  of  God. 

In  the  summer  of  1866  I  went  to  work  in  the  woolen 
mill  at  Enosburgh,  Vt.,  boarding  in  the  family  of  Mr. 
S.,  senior,  to  whose  wife  I  soon  became  strongly  at- 
tached. They  had  a  son  who,  with  his  wife,  visited 
the  old  folks  nearly  every  day  and  with  the  younger 
Mrs.  S.  I  soon  contracted  as  great  a  friendship  as 
with  the  elder. 

Old  Mr.  S.  and  his  wife  were  very  pious  people. 
He  was  a  Freemason,  and  his  greatest  ambition  for 
his  son  was  to  see  him  high  in  the  order. 

The  marriage  to  which  I  have  alluded  took  place 
under  the  following  strange  circumstances : 

I  was  invited  by  young  Mrs.  S.  to  attend  a  Christ- 
mas party  to  be  held  in  her  home,  she  promising  to 
send  a  conveyance  for  me  early  in  the  morning.  Mrs. 
S.  afterward  asked  me  if  I  objected  to  a  certain  young 
man  who  worked  with  me  in  the  mill  making  one  of 


A   PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  I  5 

the  party,  stating  at  the  same  time  that  he  was  a  par- 
ticular friend  of  her  husband's;  but  fearing  that  he 
might  be  disagreeable  to  me  he  had  hesitated  to  invite 
him. 

While  it  was  true  that  I  had  no  special  liking  for 
the  young  man,  I  did  not  wish  to  keep  him  from  the 
party.  So  I  answered  in  the  negative.  She  then  left 
the  room  and  held  a  brief  conference  with  her  hus- 
band. 

Returning,  she  again  repeated  her  remark  that  her 
husband  still  believed  there  was  an  objection  on  my 
part  to  his  attending,  and  as  the  party  was  got  up 
almost  entirely  on  my  account,  my  wishes  should  be 
consulted.  She  begged  that  I  would  myself  tender 
him  the  invitation,  as  they  both  feared  he  would  take 
offense  if  not  invited.  I  declined  to  do  this  at  first, 
but  after  much  persuasion  consented. 

As  I  had  feared,  the  young  man,  while  he  seemed 
delighted  and  thanked  me  for  my  kindness  over  and 
over  again,  seized  upon  the  invitation  as  a  pretext  for 
my  accompanying  him.  He  would  make  arrangements 
with  his  friends,  he  said,  not  to  send  the  team  for  me 
as  agreed  upon,  but  would  himself  call  with  a  car- 
riage at  any  hour  I  might  mention.  I  was  much  an- 
noyed, and  even  went  so  far  as  to  tell  Mrs.  S.  that  I 
"would  not  be  seen  in  the  carriage  with  him,"  to 
which  she  answered,  in  surprise,  that  her  husband 
held  him  in  high  esteem  as  one  of  the  nicest  young 
men  in  town,  and  surely  no  possible  harm  could  re- 
sult from  my  riding  to  her  home  in  broad  daylight  in 
his  company.     At  last  I  reluctantly  consented. 

Mr.  S.  came  punctually  at  eight  o'clock,  with  a 
double  team,  to  take  his  parents  to  the  party.  I  told 
him  I  was  expecting  Mr.  Giddings  to  call  for  me.  He 
looked  at  his  watch,  and  answered  carelessly  that  it 
lacked  but  a  few  minutes  of  eight,  and  we  should  prob- 
ably overtake  them. 

I  put  on  my  hat  and  wraps  and  seated  myself  at 


1 6  IN    THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

the  window,  in  no  very  pleasant  frame  of  mind,  to 
wait  for  the  coming  of  my  escort.  The  clock  struck 
nine,  ten,  eleven ;  still  he  did  not  come.  I  thought  he 
was  angry  because  of  my  refusal  to  go  with  him  at 
first,  and  had  taken  this  way  to  vex  and  humiliate 
me.  Then  I  wondered  that  Mrs.  S.  did  not  send  down 
to  see  what  caused  my  delay.  The  fire  was  out  and 
it  was  cold,  but  still  I  sat  at  the  window,  watching  for 
some  person  to  come. 

At  a  quarter  to  twelve  Mr.  Giddings  passed  by  the 
house,  but  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  walking 
with  head  dowmcast  and  not  even  looking  toward  it. 
I  had  not  long  to  speculate  over  his  strange  conduct, 
when  he  returned  and  knocked  at  the  kitchen  door.  I 
opened  it,  and  very  naturally  my  first  words  were  of 
surprise  at  his  not  keeping  his  appointment.  In  an- 
swer, he  begged  my  pardon,  and  expressed  his  sorrow 
for  disappointing  me.  He  explained  that  a  friend  had 
hired  his  horse  the  night  before,  agreeing  to  get  back 
early  in  the  morning,  but  had  broken  his  promise ; 
hence  the  unfortunate  delay. 

I  accepted  his  excuse,  and  about  one  o'clock  he 
brought  the  horse  and  carriage  to  the  door,  and  we 
started. 

Soon  we  came  to  a  turn  in  the  road.  Seeing  that 
he  was  taking  the  wrong  direction,  I  seized  the  lines 
with  an  energetic  protest.  "Had  I  ever  been  over 
that  road  before?"  he  asked.  When  I  replied  in  the 
negative,  he  said  that  it  was  not  a  much  longer  way 
than  the  other,  and  would  bring  us  to  the  house  in 
time  for  dinner.  I  felt,  by  a  kind  of  intuition,  that  he 
was  deceiving  me,  though  I  could  not  imagine  for 
what  purpose.  Neither  of  us  felt  inclined  to  talk,  and 
so  we  rode  on  for  about  two  miles,  when  he  began  to 
laugh  and  wave  his  whip  from  the  carriage  as  if  beck- 
oning to  some  one. 

"Do  you  see  that  white  house?"  he  asked,  still 
laughing  and  waving  his  whip. 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  17 

"Yes,"   1   answered;   "but   what  are   vou   laughing 

at?" 

"Only  a  joke,"  he  replied.  "I  am  going  to  take 
you  to  that  house,  and  when  you  come  away  you  will 
be  my  wife." 

"Lewis  Giddings !"  I  cried,  in  consternation ;  "what 
do  you  mean  ?  I  would  not  marry  you  for  your  weight 
in  gold." 

But  he  only  laughed  as  he  turned  his  horse  into  the 
yard  and  drove  up  to  the  house,  still  treating  the 
whole  thing  as  a  joke. 

"Do  you  suppose  I  could  force  you  to  marry  me  in 
broad  daylight,"  he  asked.  "The  minister  is  a  friend 
of  mine  and  will  think  it  strange  if  I  go  so  near  and 
do  not  stop." 

Just  then  the  minister  came  out  to  the  carriage  and 
shook  hands  with  Mr.  Giddings,  who  introduced  me 
as  "a  young  lady  from  the  factory."  We  were  out 
driving,  he  said,  and  had  thought  of  stopping,  but  as 
it  was  getting  late  perhaps  we  had  better  postpone 
our  call  till  another  day. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  P.  said  something  about  the  harness, 
and  my  escort  getting  out  of  the  carriage  the  two  men 
walked  to  the  horse's  head  and  held  a  conversation  in 
low  tones.  Then  Mr.  Giddings  began  to  unhitch  the 
horse  from  the  carriage,  vxnthout,  however,  looking 
at  me. 

The  minister  then  invited  me  into  the  house,  saying 
that  Mr.  Giddings  had  decided  to  stop  awhile,  and 
seemed  surprised  to  see  me  hesitate.  I  at  last  allowed 
him  to  help  me  out  of  the  carriage  and  show  me  into 
the  house.  Then  he  went  out  for  a  few  minutes,  re- 
turning in  company  with  Mr.  Giddings.  The  latter 
took  a  chair  as  near  to  me  as  he  could,  while  the  min- 
ister asked  me  several  questions  about  my  home  and 
parentage,  which  I  only  took  as  courteous  attempts 
at  conversation,  though  I  certainly  thought  it  strange 
when  I  saw  him  take  a  blank  book  out  of  his  pocket 


l8  IN    THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

and  record  the  answers.  After  a  few  minutes  of 
this  kind  of  questioning  he  put  the  book  back  in  his 
pocket  and  said,  "Let  us  pray." 

We  all  knelt,  Mr.  Giddings  close  by  my  side.  I 
was  too  angry  to  join  in  the  prayer,  and  was  in  fact 
entirely  oblivious  to  the  words.  Then  we  rose.  My 
companion  grasped  my  hand  and  held  it  as  in  a  vise. 
I  tried  to  draw  it  away.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the 
minister  spoke  the  words  "husband  and  wife,"  but 
was  quite  sure  I  must  have  misunderstood,  and  only 
wondered  what  it  could  be  he  really  said. 

Mr.  Giddings  let  go  mv  hand  and  we  both  sat  down. 
We  exchanged  a  few  words  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  P., 
who  also  sat  down  and  began  to  write  what  Mr.  Gid- 
dings told  me  was  my  marriage  certificate. 

"You  cannot  make  me  believe  that,"  I  said,  shaking 
my  head. 

He  then  appealed  to  the  minister,  who  told  me  I 
was  indeed  married  to  Mr.  Giddings,  and  this  was  in 
truth  my  marriage  certificate. 

I  begged  him  with  tears  in  my  eyes  not  to  make  it 
out,  but  he  assured  me  that  I  was  really  married  and 
of  this  the  certificate  was  proof.  In  spite  of  my  pro- 
tests he  rolled  up  the  document  and  laid  it  in  my  lap. 
I  would  not  touch  it,  but  when  I  was  told  the  carriage 
was  ready,  I  rose  and  went,  the  certificate  falling 
from  my  lap  to  the  floor. 

Rev.  Mr.  P.  helped  me  into  the  carriage,  laughing 
and  joking  with  the  man  who  was  now  my  husband. 
Some  one  came  to  the  door  with  the  certificate,  which 
the  minister  handed  to  me,  telling  me  I  "had  better 
take  care  of  it."  As  I  paid  him  no  attention,  Mr.  Gid- 
dings himself  reached  out  his  hand  for  the  certificate, 
but  Mr.  P.  held  it  back,  saying  that  I  was  the  one  to 
whom  it  properly  belonged.  He  continued  to  urge  me 
to  take  it  till  I  snatched  it  impatiently  from  his  hand 
and  threw  it  under  the  seat. 

I  was  indeed  more  angry  with  him  than  with  any- 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  19 

body  else;  for  Mr.  Giddings  had  an  object;  but  what 
possible  object  could  the  Rev.  Mr.  P.  have  in  thus 
marrying  me  without  my  consent  to  a  man  who  was 
practically  a  stranger? 

It  must  be  remembered  that  I  was  not  yet  twenty. 

In  my  distress  I  tried  to  pray,  but  could  not,  for  I 
was  at  this  time,  as  previously  related,  in  a  state  of 
spiritual  darkness,  which  may  have  been  one  reason 
why  I  was  left  to  contract  such  a  strange  marriage. 

I  was  finally  won  over  to  acknowledge  the  union, 
for  I  was  heart-free  at  the  time,  and  my  husband  made 
such  protestations  of  penitence  for  the  deceit  he  had 
practiced  upon  me,  and  begged  my  forgiveness  so 
many  times,  saying  that  he  felt  he  could  not  live  with- 
out me,  and  knew  I  would  never  consent  to  be  his  wife 
unless  he  resorted  to  some  such  stratagem,  that  I  be- 
lieved his  story  and  forgave  him.  Later  I  was  to  be 
cruelly  undeceived,  and  find  myself  the  victim  of  a 
base  plot  into  which  I  am  sure  he  would  never  have 
allowed  himself  to  be  drawn  had  not  his  weaker  brain 
been  made  the  tool  of  others  who  plotted  this  mar- 
riage for  purposes  of  their  own. 

Though  I  had  gone  astray  into  the  by-paths  of  Spir- 
itualism, yet  I  had  still  a  sincere  desire  to  do  right, 
whatever  might  be  the  consequences.  I  thought  per- 
haps that  it  was  God's  will  that  I  should  be  this  strange 
m?n's  wife,  little  as  I  had  desired  or  expected  such  a 
union ;  and  I  had  not  forgotten  my  promise  made  to 
God  in  early  childhood  to  suffer  any  trial  he  might  send 
upon  me  in  exchange  for  evidence  that  I  was  his  child. 

I  knew  not  then  for  what  I  was  praying,  more  than 
did  the  mother  of  Zebedee's  children,  when  in  her  fond 
ambition  she  asked  for  the  highest  place  in  the  coming 
kingdom  for  her  two  sons.  Well  it  is  for  us  that  we 
so  seldom  know  through  what  thorny  paths  our  pray- 
ers are  to  lead  us ;  that  we  so  often  fail  to  realize  that 
the  cross  must  come  before  the  crown ;  that  the  price 
of  the  greatest  spiritual  victories  is  to  be  baptized  with 


20  IN    THE   enemies'  LAND, 

our  Redeemer's  baptism  of  tears,  and  drink  of  the 
same  bitter  cup.  Philippians,  third  chapter,  verses 
14-17. 


CHAPTER  11. 

MY  husband's  peculiar  MALADY. AN  AMUSING  INCI- 
DENT. 

My  husband  bore  the  character  of  a  moral  man.  He 
was  of  a  good  family,  being  connected  with  Joshua 
R.  Giddings,  of  Abolition  fame,  was  gentlemanly  in 
his  manners  and  well  educated.  He  did  not  use  liquor 
in  any  form,  and  I  supposed  him  to  be  free  from 
small  vices,  but  afterward  found  that  he  was  a  great 
smoker,  though  he  managed  to  disguise  the  fact  that 
it  was  some  time  before  I  made  the  discovery. 

A  more  trivial  matter,  rather  amusing  than  serious, 
though  it  was  all  a  part  of  the  tangled  web  of  deception 
thus  strangely  woven  around  me,  came  out  a  little  later 
when,  during  a  visit  to  some  of  his  friends  in  Canada, 
his  Aunt  Nancy  suddenly  remarked,  as  she  looked 
across  the  dinner  table,  "I  did  not  know  that  Lewis' 
mustache  and  beard  were  so  dark." 

His  cousin  William,  who  was  at  the  table,  cast  an 
amazed  glance  at  his  wife,  which  she  returned.  Then 
both  looked  at  me,  and  asked  laughingly,  "Do  you 
really  think  you  have  married  a  man  with  black 
whiskers  ?" 

I  answered  in  the  affirmative,  only  to  be  informed, 
to  my  astonishment,  that  his  beard  was  as  light  as  his 
hair. 

My  husband  laughed  the  matter  off,  and  in  spite  of 
my  surprise  and  chagrin  I  could  not  but  laugh,  too. 
It  was  not  long  after  this  conversation  before  his 
mustache  and  beard  began  to  fade  from  a  handsome 
jet  black  and  return  to  their  normal  sandy  hue. 

The  reader  may  wonder  that  I  could  be  so  easily 

21 


22  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

deceived,  but  the  ignorance  of  women  has  made  them 
more  or  less  subject  to  deception  ever  since  the  old 
Serpent  beguiled  Eve  in  Eden,  and  in  things  of  far 
more  importance  than  a  mere  matter  of  personal  ap- 
pearance. How  many  of  my  sisters — intelligent,  edu- 
cated women,  and  even  college  graduates — are  un- 
aware of  laws  so  framed  as  to  encourage  men  to  crime, 
while  the  girls,  after  a  certain  age,  are  left  unprotected, 
to  be  held  if  they  fall  as  so  much  merchandise  in  the 
most  revolting  form  of  white  slavery  the  world  knows  ? 
Let  us  be  just,  and  lay  a  large  part  of  the  blame  for 
this  state  of  things  where  God's  Word  lays  it — Isaiah 
xxxii.,  9:  "Rise  up,  ye  women  that  are  at  ease;  hear 
my  voice,  ye  careless  daughters."  Surely  this  scathing 
indictment  may  be  made  against  the  women  of  this 
land  and  age  with  equal  justice;  especially  if  raised 
by  prosperous  circumstances  above  the  trials  and  temp- 
tations of  their  poorer  sisters,  they  shut  their  eyes  to 
the  real  facts  which  lie  all  about  them,  and  cannot  be 
persuaded  that  their  own  criminal  indifference  is  re- 
sponsible in  a  great  degree  for  the  dark  tales  of  lust 
and  cruelty  sometimes  brought  to  light  by  the  press, 
but  which  more  often  wait  in  oblivion  the  great  day  of 
final  reckoning. 

In  a  week  after  my  marriage  I  made  a  startling  dis- 
covery. One  morning  I  awoke  early,  and  some  time 
before  my  husband.  When  he  finally  aroused,  I  saw 
that  his  face  was  twitching  violently.  I  said  nothing, 
but  watched  his  movements  closely  from  under  my 
half-closed  lids.  Suddenly  he  sprang  up  and  began 
to  dress.  Then  I  saw  with  horror  that  his  hands  and 
arms — his  whole  body  in  fact — were  drawn  out  of 
shape  and  his  face  so  strangely  distorted  that  he 
scarcely  looked  like  a  human  being. 

When  dressed  he  rushed  from  the  room,  and  finding 
that  he  did  not  appear  at  our  usual  early  breakfast 
hour,  I  put  up  a  lunch  and  carried  it  to  the  factory, 
where  we  were  both  employed,  as  we  had  been  previous 


A   PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  23 

to  our  marriage.  About  nine  o'clock  he  came  up  to 
the  loom  where  I  was  at  work,  seemed  much  pleased 
at  my  thoughtfulness  in  bringing  the  lunch,  and  was 
quite  himself.  He  apologized  for  the  morning's  epi- 
sode by  saying  that  he  suddenly  thought  of  some  work 
which  ought  to  have  been  finished  the  night  before, 
and  should  anything  of  the  kind  happen  again  he 
begged  that  I  would  pay  it  no  attention  or  consider  it 
strange,  for  there  would  always  be,  as  in  the  present 
case,  some  good  reason. 

I  passed  over  the  matter  in  silence,  but  concluded 
to  tell  his  mother,  who  seemed  the  most  fitting  person 
from  whom  to  seek  an  explanation.  She  told  me  that 
ever  since  her  son  returned  from  the  army,  sick  with  a 
terrible  camp  fever,  during  which  he  was  violently 
delirious  and  his  life  despaired  of,  he  had  been  subject 
to  these  strange  attacks ;  that  I  had  better  not  mind 
his  actions  at  these  times,  or  let  him  see  that  I  noticed 
anything  peculiar.  These  "army  fits,"  as  she  called 
them,  were  caused  by  the  hardships  and  exposure  he 
had  undergone.  It  was  a  long  time  before  the  actual 
truth  dawned  on  me — that  I  had  married  a  man  subject 
to  attacks  of  insanity  and  during  these  periods  utterly 
irresponsible  as  to  his  words  or  actions. 

My  husband  being  a  steady,  hard  working  young 
man,  had  saved  up  a  few  hundred  dollars.  After  his 
return  from  the  army  he  invested  his  money  in  a  saw 
mill,  located  near  the  shore  of  Lake  Memphremagog, 
in  Canada,  and  it  was  there  we  resided  during  the  first 
summer  after  our  marriage. 

One  morning,  a  few  days  after  our  removal,  my 
husband's  partner  rushed  into  the  house  in  a  state  of 
great  excitement,  exclaiming  that  "Lewis  was  killing 
his  horse."  I  ran  out  to  the  barn  and  there  I  found 
the  horse,  which  was  a  valuable  one,  cowering  in  a 
comer,  shivering  and  trembling  under  the  blows  Lewis 
was  raining  upon  it,  as  he  kicked  and  pounded  the  poor 
creature  with  insane  fury.    At  first  I  was  horror-struck 


24  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

at  his  cruelty.  Then,  when  I  looked  on  his  drawn  and 
distorted  face,  I  saw  that  he  was  in  one  of  his  "fits." 
My  sudden  appearance  made  him  cease  his  abuse  of 
the  animal  at  once.  He  seemed  ashamed  and  began 
to  apologize,  telling  me  not  to  be  afraid,  that  he  should 
never  hurt  me,  etc.  I  inquired  what  the  horse  had 
been  doing. 

"She  has  torn  the  hay  out  of  the  manger,  and  was 
tramping  upon  it,"  he  replied. 

Several  times  afterward  the  same  thing  occurred, 
so  that  I  made  it  a  point  to  always  go  out  to  the  bam 
when  I  knew  he  was  there  attending  to  the  horse,  for 
in  my  presence  he  never  ventured  on  any  abuse  of  the 
animal. 

One  day  he  was  getting  out  logs,  and,  tired  of  sit- 
ting still  in  the  house,  I  took  a  walk  to  the  place  where 
he  was  at  work.  There,  to  my  horror,  I  found  him 
again  beating  Jeanette.  She  was  lying  in  a  hollow, 
so  exhausted  by  his  cruel  treatment  that  she  was  un- 
able to  rise. 

The  sight  went  to  my  heart.  I  rushed  forward  with 
a  scream,  and  threw  myself  upon  the  trembling,  pant- 
ing animal  with  my  arms  about  her  for  a  shield.  Again 
my  unexpected  appearance  seemed  to  act  as  a  check 
on  his  madness  and  cause  him  to  come  to  himself. 

It  was  characteristic  of  these  attacks  that  while  they 
lasted  his  insane  fury  was  sure  to  be  wreaked  on  the 
thing  nearest  to  him.  And  what  made  them  seem 
more  peculiar  and  terrible  was  the  fact  that  in  his 
normal  state  of  mind  he  would  not  voluntarily  injure 
a  living  thing,  nor  could  he  be  induced  to  so  much  as 
kill  a  chicken. 

Meanwhile,  in  spite  of  these  eccentricities — to  call 
them  by  the  mildest  possible  term — he  was  seemingly 
very  fond  of  me.  He  often  alluded  to  himself  as  being 
"odd"  at  times,  but  assured  me,  with  many  affectionate 
protestations,  that  his  hand  would  never  be  raised 
against  "his  darling,"  as  he  always  called  me ;  yet  all 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  25 

the  while  he  seemed  haunted  with  a  fear,  amounting 
at  times  to  absolute  terror,  lest  he  might  be  left  during 
one  of  these  strange  turns  to  so  far  lose  control  of 
himself  as  to  do  me  an  injury.  And  I  have  often  seen 
his  eyes  fill  with  tears  at  the  thought. 

His  partner  frequently  expressed  astonishment  that 
a  man  whose  nervous  system  was  such  a  complete 
wreck  should  have  been  able  to  marry  a  young  and 
healthy  girl,  in  every  way  the  opposite  of  himself. 
Others  frequently  made  similar  expressions  of  sur- 
prise, and  it  seemed  no  less  strange  to  me  than  to  any- 
body else.  For  several  years  after  my  marriage  the 
period  of  spiritual  darkness  to  which  I  have  alluded 
continued.  I  felt  forsaken  of  the  Lord,  which  accounts 
for  the  fact  that  I  could  not  pray  to  him  in  my  distress. 
At  the  same  time  my  heart  was  still  fully  set  to  do 
God's  will,  so  far  as  it  should  be  revealed  to  me.  I 
read  in  my  Bible  that  the  unbelieving  husband  should 
be  sanctified  by  the  believing  wife;  and,  convinced  as 
I  was,  that  this  strange  environment  of  circumstance 
was  ordered  by  God,  I  continued  to  do,  as  I  thought, 
my  wifely  duty  by  clinging  to  this  poor  wreck  of  a 
man,  whose  weakness  of  mind  made  him,  as  I  shall 
soon  have  occasion  to  relate,  the  victim  of  the  un- 
scrupulous and  the  designing. 

My  husband  had  great  confidence  in  his  partner, 
who  was  a  relative,  and  trusted  him  fully.  But  I  soon 
noticed  that  he  used  this  confidence  to  take  undue  ad- 
vantage of  my  husband  in  financial  matters,  and  I  fre- 
quently tried  to  call  his  attention  to  the  fact,  But  never 
with  success. 

He  had  paid  with  his  own  money  for  all  the  ma- 
chinery in  the  mill,  but  he  was  to  have  four  acres  of 
land,  which  brought  him  slightly  on  the  debit  side  in 
his  relation  to  his  partner.  The  latter  advised  him  to 
build  a  house  on  this  land,  but  I  opposed  the  project, 
seeing  that  it  would  only  bring  him  more  deeply  in 


26  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

debt  to  a  man  of  whose  honesty  I  had  begun  to  have 
grave  suspicions. 

Mr.  Giddings,  however,  decided  to  build.  I  drew 
the  plan  of  the  house,  but  his  partner's  wife  objecting, 
it  was  built  entirely  in  accordance  with  her  desires, 
and  not  at  all  with  mine. 

When  this  house  was  nearly  ready  for  occupancy, 
his  partner  began  to  press  him  to  make  payment  for 
the  land,  claiming  that  it  was  a  separate  matter  from 
the  mill  property.  At  the  time  the  written  contract 
was  signed,  which  was  before  our  marriage,  Mr.  Gid- 
dings noticed  that  the  land  was  not  mentioned,  and 
spoke  of  it  to  his  partner,  who  answered  that  the  land 
was  meant  to  be  included,  and  its  omission  was  due  to 
an  oversight.  A  man  who  was  a  relative,  and  sup- 
posed to  be  a  great  friend  to  my  husband,  had  been 
witness  to  the  paper,  and  also  this  verbal  agreement; 
but  now,  when  it  was  questioned,  he  refused  to  give  his 
testimony.  At  mention  of  the  transaction  he  began  to 
grow  red  in  the  face,  and  stammer  out  excuses.  He 
and  my  husband's  partner  "had  always  been  friends," 
he  did  not  wish  to  get  into  any  trouble  with  him ;  he 
"was  willing  to  testify  to  anything  that  was  in  the 
paper,  but  really  he  did  not  remember  any  verbal  con- 
tract," etc. 

At  this  stage  his  wife  stepped  in  from  the  kitchen, 
mixing-spoon  in  hand. 

"What  do  you  mean,  George?"  Martha  indignantly 
demanded.  "You  know  well  enough  that  you  was 
witness  to  that  agreement.  Didn't  I  tell  you  that  Wil- 
liam had  an  ax  to  grind  when  he  gave  you  that  present 
a  while  ago?  You  didn't  know  that  I  listened  when 
the  paper  was  being  signed,  for  I  was  sure  that  some 
mean  advantage  was  going  to  be  taken  of  Lewis.  Now 
I  am  ready  to  go  into  court,  or  anywhere  else,  and 
swear  that  the  land  was  included." 

Her  husband  cowered  before  his  wife's  honest  in- 
dignation,  and  finally  admitted   that  he  remembered 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  27 

the  transaction.  So  this  httle  scheme  for  defrauding 
us  did  not  work,  because  there  was  one  brave  woman 
prepared  to  testify  to  the  truth;  and  my  husband's 
partner  decided  to  let  the  land  go  according  to  the 
original  agreement,  and  have  it  so  written  in  the  deed. 

The  ways  in  which  the  poor  can  be  swindled  are 
legion,  and  the  story  just  told  will  illustrate  how,  in 
their  ignorance  of  legal  matters,  they  may  be  led  to 
accept  a  verbal  agreement,  only  to  find  that  it  is  not 
binding  in  law,  because  not  put  down  in  black  and 
white,  and  thus  they  are  often  cheated  out  of  their 
small  holdings. 

In  our  straits,  I  thought  to  earn  a  little  money.  So 
much  a  thousand  was  paid  in  the  mill  for  packing 
shingles,  and  thinking  to  save  my  husband  the  expense 
of  hiring  a  helper,  I  packed  his  share  myself,  and  also 
enough  of  his  partner's  to  come  to  fourteen  dollars, 
which  sum  he  placed  to  my  husband's  account,  and 
paid  me  nothing. 

I  finally  grew  desperate.  The  life  which  I  led  was 
so  miserable  in  many  ways  not  here  set  down — for  to 
enter  into  details  would  only  be  to  pain  myself  as  well 
as  the  reader  with  the  dark  retrospect — I  resolved  to 
put  an  end  to  my  life  and  all  my  earthly  trials  at  the 
same  time.  Accordingly  I  began  to  think  over  various 
plans  by  which  it  might  be  done  and  my  death  appear 
an  accident. 

One  morning  a  violent  gale  was  blowing.  The  lake 
was  full  of  "white  caps,"  and,  looking  out  over  its 
agitated  surface,  the  thought  occurred  to  me  that  here 
was  the  longed-for  opportunity.  I  would  drown  my- 
self, and  have  the  world  to  suppose  it  all  accidental, 
and  comment  as  it  might  on  my  venturing  out  on  the 
lake  in  such  a  wind. 

I  told  Aunt  Nancy  that  I  was  going  to  the  postoffice, 
and  in  great  alarm  she  followed  me  to  the  boathouse, 
begging  me  with  outstretched  arms  to  come  back.  I 
paid  no  heed  to  her  expostulations,  but  got  into  the 


28  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

boat,  raised  the  sail,  and  was  soon  pushed  by  the 
violence  of  the  wind  out  into  the  lake,  and  beyond  sight 
of  the  house.  Then,  with  mind  still  bent  on  my  des- 
perate purpose,  I  unhitched  the  sail  and  let  it  flap  in 
the  wind,  expecting,  and  hoping  every  moment  that 
the  boat  would  capsize.  To  my  astonishment  it  only 
drifted  round  and  round  in  a  circle.  I  went  to  the 
front  of  the  boat,  sprang  upon  the  edge,  and  grasping 
the  sail,  tried  in  vain  to  tip  it  over ;  but  my  frail  bark, 
instead  of  capsizing,  only  drifted  and  plunged  in  the 
billows. 

A  sudden  sense  of  awe  fell  upon  me.  Why  was 
the  life  I  tried  so  desperately  to  cast  away  thus  pre- 
served, as  by  a  miracle  ?  Overwhelmed  by  the  strange- 
ness of  the  marvel,  I  raised  my  eyes  heavenward.  I 
could  not  pray ;  my  heart  seemed  turned  into  stone,  for 
I  still  thought  the  Lord  had  forsaken  me.  But  stand- 
ing up  in  the  drifting,  tossing  boat,  with  nothing  about 
me  but  that  lonely  waste  of  surging  waters,  the  thought 
came  to  my  mind  that  perhaps  God  had  a  work  for  me 
to  do,  and  would  not  have  me  die  till  it  was  finished. 
Was  this  the  explanation  of  the  seeming  miracle?  It 
was  as  if  the  same  Voice  spoke  to  my  heart  that  long 
ago  on  the  storm-swept  sea  said,  "Peace,  be  still!" 
Soothed  and  comforted,  I  remembered  God's  good- 
ness shown  to  me  so  many  times  in  the  past, 
and  I  said  within  myself,  that  perhaps  the  Lord 
would  yet  accept  my  service.  Again  I  remem- 
bered my  vows,  and  reaching  my  hands  heavenward,  I 
promised,  if  by  the  smallest  act  or  word  my  life  could 
be  made  to  yield  the  least  blessing  to  humanity  or  glory 
to  God,  I  was  willing  to  live ;  to  take  up  my  cross  and 
accept  cheerfully  whatever  he  might  send  me,  even  as 
I  had  promised  him  in  my  early  days. 

I  then  arranged  my  sail,  and,  the  wind  being  shifted, 
returned  to  the  boathouse.  I  had  been  gone  from  early 
in  the  morning  till  dinner  time.  My  husband  and 
friends  all  thought  me  surely  drowned ;  and,  when  I 


A   PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  29 

appeared  suddenly  among  them,  received  me  as  one 
from  the  dead ;  which  is  scarcely  a  figure  of  speech,  d'\ 
it  was  a  gale  of  such  unusual  severity  as  might  w 
daunt  the  most  experienced  sailor. 

After  the  trouble  about  the  land,  my  husband  cO'  .lA 
see  that  he  had  been  wronged  by  his  partner  in  many 
ways,  and  we  decided  that  it  was  best  to  return  to 
Enosburg,  Vt. 

Ephcsians  4:  1-3,  11-14,  28-32. 


CHAPTER  III. 

MY    EXPERIENCE    AS    A    SERVANT. — DARK    HOURS. — THE 
HEAVENLY    BAND. A    WARNING   VOICE. 

We  came  back  in  the  fall  of  1867,  and  were  entirely 
penniless,  for  all  my  husband's  money  had  been  in- 
vested in  the  mill  and  buildings.  They  sawed  on 
shares,  and  his  partner  objected  to  a  division  of  the 
lumber.  I  went  to  work  in  Mr.  M.  A.  Kent's  woolen 
mill,  where  I  received  six  and  a  half  dollars  a  week. 
My  husband  was  out  of  employment  all  that  winter, 
and  many  things  combined  to  make  our  situation  one 
of  extreme  poverty.  He  had  purchased  a  piece  of 
land,  and,  being  unable  to  make  payment,  the  sheriff 
attached  our  beautiful  Jeanette,  though  she  was  after- 
wards redeemed. 

My  husband  was  that  winter  taken  into  the  Masonic 
lodge.  In  my  childish  inexperience — for  I  was  then 
only  twenty — this  honor  greatly  delighted  me. 

For  the  first  four  years  after  my  marriage  I  do  not 
remember  praying  but  twice,  or  at  most,  three  times. 
No  ray  of  spiritual  light  seemed  to  pierce  the  cloud  of 
thick  darkness  which  hung  about  me.  Still,  when  I 
was  most  saddened  and  most  desperate,  thoughts  of 
the  goodness  of  God  as  experienced  by  me  at  various 
times  would  flash  over  my  mind,  and  keep  me  from 
sinking  in  utter  despair.  One  of  these  occasions  was 
just  before  the  birth  of  my  first  child.  /  remember 
pleading  with  God  that  he  would  be  a' Father  to  my 
unborn  babe,  and  keep  it  from  such  trials  and  sorrows 
as  its  poor  mother  had  endured.     I  never  more  truly 

30 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  3I 

prayed  than  did  I  at  those  times,  from  the  inmost 
recesses  of  my  agonized  spirit. 

My  first  child  was  a  son,  born  March  2"],  1868. 

Of  course  I  was  deHghted  with  my  "young  Mason," 
as  I  heard  Dr.  A.  call  him,  and  in  spite  of  his  feeble 
hold  on  life — for  he  weighed  but  three  pounds  at  birth, 
and  was  a  most  fragile  mite  of  humanity — laid  great 
plans  for  his  future,  when  he  would  himself  be  old 
enough  to  wear  the  Masonic  apron  and  be  hailed  as 
one  of  that  fraternity,  which  I  then  honestly  esteemed 
the  most  noble  and  glorious  on  earth.  For  they  were 
all  very  kind  to  me,  and  I  thought  of  them  as  a  band 
of  brothers  pledged  to  aid  each  others'  families  in 
adversity.  C3f  course  my  own  would  share  in  their 
benefactions,  and  I  rejoiced  anew  at  my  good  fortune 
in  being  a  Mason's  wife,  and  having  so  many  brave 
and  noble  men  to  protect  me. 

I  was  ill  at  the  home  of  my  husband's  parents,  who 
were  very  poor.  While  I  was  sick,  Mr.  S.  and  his  wnfe 
came  to  see  me.  Mrs.  S.  was  moved  to  tears  when  she 
saw  my  lack  of  ordinary  comforts,  and  the  next  day 
sent  down  a  supply  of  food,  accompanied  by  many  sick- 
room dainties  which  we  in  our  poverty  could  not  have 
purchased. 

Arrangements  had  been  made  for  me  to  go  to  work 
in  the  family  of  Mr.  S.  as  soon  as  my  health  would 
allow,  and  when  Howard — as  we  named  the  baby — was 
three  weeks  old  I  sent  word  for  them  to  come  after  me. 
Mr.  S.  told  my  husband  he  would  come  when  the 
infant  was  four  weeks  old  ;  but  his  wife  and  her  mother 
insisted  that  I  should  come  at  once,  and  pass  the 
period  of  convalescence  with  thern  rather  than  at  my 
father-in-law's. 

As  soon  as  I  arrived  at  their  home,  everything  pos- 
sible was  done  for  my  comfort  by  Mrs.  S.  and  her 
mother.  The  latter  took  my  poor,  feeble  boy  under 
her  especial  care  and  watched  over  its  cradle  con- 
stantly.   Owing  to  the  hardships  of  the  previous  win- 


32  IN    THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

ter,  I  was  obliged  to  bring  him  up  by  hand,  which  I 
was  too  ignorant  to  do  properly,  and  to  her  motherly 
knowledge  and  tender  care  I  owe  it  that  my  baby  lived 
to  grow  from  his  feeble  estate  into  manhood.  Surely,  if 
"Man's  inhumanity  to  man 
Makes  countless  thousands  mourn," 
the  sympathy  and  practical  help  given  me  by  these 
noble  women,  in  my  hour  of  extremity,  is  proof  that 
our  sex  are  by  no  means  so  cruel  to  each  other  as  the 
caricaturists  like  to  make  it  appear.  I  seriously  ques- 
tion, if  more  women  in  circumstances  of  distress,  have 
not  been  helped  by  women  than  have  men  by  men, 
under  similar  conditions. 

Mr.  S.  had  fulfilled  his  father's  ambition,  and  be- 
came a  high  Mason.  He  was  a  man  of  deserved  repu- 
tation for  kind  and  genial  manners.  I  never  heard 
him  speak  a  cross  word  to  his  wife  or  any  member  of 
his  family.  He  was  also  exceedingly  kind  to  me,  and, 
knowing  him  to  be  high  in  the  Masonic  order,  I  nat- 
urally looked  upon  him  as  a  brother  to  my  husband 
and  myself.  After  a  few  weeks  he  became  more  and 
more  familiar.  At  first  I  did  not  mind  his  attentions, 
considering  them  as  merely  given  in  jest;  but  as  they 
continued,  his  caressing  actions,  though  always  given 
under  a  mask  of  pleasantry,  began  to  annoy  me  seri- 
ously. I  at  last  forbade  his  touching  me,  but  without 
eflfect ;  so  I  concluded  to  try  other  tactics. 

The  dishes  were  always  washed  in  the  woodshed, 
and  this  being  the  time  when  he  was  generally  about., 
I  selected  a  "stout  stick  from  the  woodpile  and  con- 
cealed it  beside  the  dishpan.  When  his  hand  was 
lifted  to  pat  my  head — a  favorite  action  of  his — I 
caught  up  the  stick  menacingly,  and,  turning  sharply 
around,  told  him  indignantly  that  he  must  keep  his 
hands  off  me. 

He  turned  pale.  The  stick  was  amply  stout  enough 
for  the  purpose,  and  I  knew  I  could  at  that  moment 
have  used  it  with  serious  eflfect,  so  filled  was  I  with  the 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  33 

just  wrath  of  my  insulted  womanhood.  He  was  so 
completely  taken  aback  that  he  did  not  reply  for  a 
moment ;  then  he  remarked  incredulously : 

"You  cannot  love  your  husband  ?" 

"But  I  do,  Mr.  S." 

"That  is  impossible,"  he  answered.  "I  know  the 
circumstances  of  your  marriage  and  the  trick  by  which 
Lewis  Giddings  obtained  you  for  a  wife.  That  alone 
absolves  you  from  any  bond  to  be  true  to  your  hus- 
band." 

"I  am  bound  to  be  true  to  the  father  of  my  child,"  I 
exclaimed.  And  then  added,  as  a  sudden  thought 
struck  me: 

"You  and  my  husband  belong  to  the  same  lodge. 
Are  you  not  bound  by  your  obligation  to  be  true  to 
him  as  a  brother  Mason?" 

He  answered  that  he  "did  not  care  for  his  ma- 
sonic OBLIGATION,"  and  turned  away. 

This  was  to  me  a  surprising  avowal ;  but  how  many 
women  can  testify  bitterly  to  its  truth! — lodgemen's 
wives  and  daughters  who  have  trusted  their  honor  and 
reputation  to  a  secret  bond,  which  they  have  been  told 
is  one  of  the  most  sacred  and  binding  on  earth,  to  find 
that  it  is  only  a  false  pledge  to  deceive  and  ensnare  the 
innocent. 

For  several  reasons  I  kept  these  insults  to  myself, 
and  did  not  even  tell  my  husband,  for  some  time,  as  I 
feared  that  in  his  anger  he  would  bring  the  matter  at 
once  before  the  lodge.  For  I  supposed  that  this  would 
cause  a  terrible  commotion ;  perhaps  put  Mr.  S.  in  peril 
of  his  life.  And  all  this  I  wished  to  avoid.  Besides 
these  considerations,  my  husband  was  a  great  sufferer 
all  that  summer,  mentally  and  physically.  He  was 
afflicted  with  boils  and  abscesses,  some  of  such  a  size 
that  they  had  to  be  lanced,  and  at  the  same  time  his 
"army  fits"  returned  with  greater  violence  than  ever. 
They  usually  attacked  him  in  the  morning  when  he 
first  awoke,  and,  though  lasting  but  a  few  moments. 


34 


IN    THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 


used  to  fill  me  with  terror  lest  he  might,  in  one  of  his 
paroxysms,  kill  or  fatally  injure  our  little  child,  as  he 
would  often,  at  such  times,  seize  hold  of  our  little 
babe  and  shake  him,  quite  unconscious  of  what  he  was 

doing. 

Once  he  left  the  marks  of  his  violence  imprinted  so 
deeply  on  the  tender  little  body  that  Mrs.  E.,  the  kind 
old  lady  who  took  care  of  him,  was  horrified  at  sight 
of  his  bruises,  and  called  me  into  her  room,  in  a  state 
of  great  indignation,  to  make  inquiries — or  rather  to 
charge  me  with  thus  cruelly  abusing  my  baby. 

I  stood  speechless  with  horror  that  she  should  think 
me  capable  of  such  cruelty,  and  at  the  same  time  I  was 
ashamed  to  explain  the  matter  by  telling  of  my  hus- 
band's strange  attacks.  My  own  arms  were  con- 
tinually black  and  blue  from  this  cause.  He  would 
grab  hold  of  me  on  first  awakening  and  try  to  bite, 
growling  like  a  dog,  or  making  some  other  strange 
bestial  noise.  At  one  time  my  arms  were  in  such  a  con- 
dition from  the  marks  of  histeeth  that  I  kept  my  sleeves 
down  when  washing,  and  Mrs.  S.  took  such  offense 
at  my  refusal  to  roll  them  up  that  she  did  the  washing 
herself. 

However,  Mrs.  S.  stood  my  friend.  She  refused  to 
believe  me  guilty,  and,  following  me  into  the  pantry, 
finally  coaxed  me  to  tell  her  how  these  marks  came  on 
my  poor  baby.  When  I  at  last  confessed  the  truth, 
both  she  and  her  mother  declared  that  my  husband 
should  never  again  step  foot  within  the  house.  But 
he  came  in  unnoticed,  as  he  was  in  the  habit  of  taking 
his  supper  and  breakfast  there,  and  then  followed  a 
scene  it  would  be  in  vain  for  me  to  attempt  to  describe. 
But  while  the  female  part  of  the  household  were  giving 
my  husband  to  understand,  in  very  decided  language, 
that  I  was  never  again  to  live  with  him,  Mr.  S.  came 
in  and  showed  true  ^Masonic  love  for  his  distressed 
brother  by  interceding  in  his  behalf,  saying  that  he 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  35 

did  not  understand  children,  was  not  aware  what  he 
was  doing,  and  thus  generally  smoothing  over  his 
offense,  while  he  worked  on  the  feelings  of  Mrs.  S. 
and  her  mother  by  representing  what  a  terrible  thing  it 
would  be  to  break  up  a  family,  etc. 

One  night  I  went  to  my  room.  My  feeble  babe  was 
on  my  arm.  In  my  agony  of  soul  I  pressed  7ny  little 
son  to  my  heart,  feeling  that  my  sorrows  were  greater 
than  I  could  bear.  Again,  I  wondered  whether  the 
Lord  had  forsaken  me,  and  once  more  the  old  horror 
of  great  darkness  fell  upon  my  pathway,  only  lighted 
dimly,  as  by  a  torch  shining  through  a  cavern,  by  the 
thought  that  perhaps  the  Lord  had  some  object  in 
thus  trying  me,  and  in  his  own  good  time  would  ap- 
pear for  my  deliverance. 

As  I  stood  thus  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  holding 
my  infant  child  in  my  arms,  there  suddenly  came  to 
my  ears  strains  of  sweet  music.  I  went  to  the  window 
and  called  to  Mrs.  S.  to  come  up  and  hear  how  beauti- 
fully the  band  played.  For  I  supposed  this  to  be  the 
source  of  the  music,  and  that  coming  across  the  water 
gave  it  its  peculiar  sweetness.  She  came  up  stairs, 
and  we  both  leaned  out  of  the  window,  but  Mrs.  S. 
could  hear  nothing  of  the  music;  and  said  it  must  be 
my  imagination,  as  the  band  did  not  play  in  the  village 
that  night ;  a  fact  of  which  she  was  certain,  her  hus- 
band being  a  member. 

Her  words  startled  me.  I  feared  I  w^as  losing  my 
reason.  Night  after  night  I  heard  the  same  music; 
and  now  I  had  a  new  fear  added  to  my  misery.  Was 
I  going  insane  with  my  trouble?  I  thought  of  my 
baby  and  cried  out  in  great  distress  with  the  terror  of 
such  a  dreadful  prospect. 

I  awoke  one  night  to  hear  those  dulcet  strains,  flood- 
ing, as  it  seemed,  the  whole  room. 

"There  is  no  imagination  about  this,"  I  said  to  my- 
self. "It  is  surely  real  music  that  I  hear,  and  it  must 
come   from   Mr.   Leach's."     I   went  to  the   window, 


36  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

but  instead  of  looking  towards  Mr.  Leach's  house  I 
looked  up  into  the  air.  Suddenly  I  realized  that  it 
was  from  thence  these  celestial  harmonies  were  rain- 
ing down  upon  me.  A  sweet  and  blessed  calm  fell  upon 
my  perturbed  spirit.  I  was  not  going  crazy.  It  was 
actual  music  that  I  heard,  and  these  were  angelic 
strains  sent  from  on  high  for  my  comforting,  and  to 
show  me  that  I  was  not  quite  forsaken  of  the  Lord. 

In  spite  of  my  rebuffs,  Mr.  S.  grew  more  bold  in 
his  advances,  and  would  contrive  expedients  for  send- 
ing his  wife  away  in  the  early  morning,  she, — poof 
woman ! — never  seeming  to  suspect  that  he  was  actu- 
ated by  any  other  motive  than  the  tenderest  regard 
for  her  health  and  well-being.  I  also  noticed  that  he 
took  particular  pains  on  those  days  to  send  his  hired 
man  to  work  at  the  farther  end  of  the  farm,  while  he 
remained  in  the  house,  playing  on  the  organ  and  sing- 
ing hymns — for  he  was  church  chorister,  and  other- 
wise trying  to  act  the  agreeable  to  me. 

On  one  of  these  occasions  he  took  his  pocket-book, 
and  began  tossing  it  up  and  catching  it  again ;  finally 
telling  me  that  it  contained  a  considerable  sum  of 
money,  of  which  he  would  make  me  a  present.  "You 
had  better  keep  your  money  and  pay  your  debts.  When 
I  accept  a  present,"  I  said,  "  it  will  not  be  from  a  man 
obliged  to  borrow  money  to  pay  interest  on  what  he 
is  owing."  But  even  this  sharp  reply  did  not  silence 
him.  He  again  took  up  the  old  line  of  argument,  say- 
ing that  I  owed  no  duty  to  my  iuisband.  not  having 
married  him  from  choice,  and  added  that,  sooner  or 
later,  I  should  have  to  accept  presents  from  my  hus- 
band's brother  Masons.  My  husband  could  not  take 
care  of  me ;  so  I  should  be  obliged  to  accept  their  sup- 
port. 

I  felt  that  a  crisis  was  at  hand.  I  must  go  away,  but 
whither?  Long  ere  this  I  would  have  taken  my  feeble 
babe  and  fled,  even  if  no  better  prospect  opened  before 
me  than  to  wander  through  the  streets  homeless,  but 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  37 

my  heart  always  failed  me  as  I  looked  at  the  little  pale 
face  of  my  infant  boy  and  thought  how  I  would  fiave 
no  food  to  give  him. 

One  night  I  asked  God  to  look  upon  me  in  my  dis- 
tress and  provide  me  with  another  place,  so  that  my 
child  should  not  suffer.  My  prayer  was  soon  answered 
in  a  way  quite  unexpected. 

The  next  day  I  went  down  to  my  husband's  Uncle 
Seth  Kendall's  and  iouvt^  Aunt  Polly  alone. 

"Are  you  going  to  live  with  Mr.  S.'s  folks  all  win- 
ter?" she  inquired. 

I  shook  my  head,  and  answered,  half  crying,  and 
scarcely  able  to  speak.  "I  do  not  know  what  I  shall 
do.  My  only  hope  is  that  the  Lord  will  send  some  one 
to  take  me  away." 

Aunt  Polly  bent  forward  in  her  chair  and  looked 
keenly  into  my  face.  We  gazed  for  a  moment  into 
each  other's  eyes,  and  then  I  saw  her  countenance  sud- 
denly change,  as  if  she  took  in  the  situation. 

The  following  day  her  son,  Mr.  Philo  Kendall,  of 
East  Berkshire,  called  at  the  house  to  see  if  he  could 
hire  me,  as  his  wife  was  greatly  in  need  of  household 
help.  I  asked  him  when  he  wanted  me,  and  on  his 
replying,  "Now,  if  you  are  ready,"  I  ran  up  stairs, 
packed  up  my  things,  and  was  ready  to  start  in  an 
incredibly  short  space  of  time. 

My  wages  while  in  the  family  of  Mr.  S.  went  entirely 
to  my  husband's  board  account,  which  was  put  at  $1.50 
a  week,  so  that  after  supporting  myself  and  child  I 
was  left  with  not  a  cent  in  money.  Mr.  Kendall  paid 
me  a  dollar  and  a  half,  his  wife  making  me  presents 
from  time  to  time,  which  brought  my  wages  up  to  two 
dollars  a  week.  It  was  also  arranged  that  Mr.  Gid- 
dings  should  be  there  on  Sundays,  without  charge,  I 
doing  his  washings  and  ironings. 

I  was  thankful  indeed  for  the  shelter  thus  provided 
myself  and  child,  especially  as  Mrs.  Kendall's  mother, 
Mrs.  Marsh,  discovered  that  in  spite  of  the  kind  care 


38  IN    THE   enemies'  LAND. 

taken  of  the  baby  at  my  former  place,  he  had  been  kept 
so  much  of  the  time  in  the  cradle  or  tied  in  a  chair  that 
he  was  in  danger  of  becoming  a  cripple ;  but  by  her  un- 
ceasing efforts  this  sad  fate,  of  which  she  assured  me 
she  had  known  several  instances  resulting  from  a  sim- 
ilar cause,  was  averted.  This  is  recorded  here  for  the 
benefit  of  other  young  and  inexperienced  mothers. 

I  worked  at  Mr.  Kendall's  for  about  four  months, 
when  I  was  obliged  to  leave  on  account  of  ill-health, 
and  went  back  to  the  home  of  my  father-in-law.  But 
my  husband's  mental  condition  still  continued  very  bad, 
and  his  army  fits  grew  alarmingly  frequent,  only  that 
now,  instead  of  abusing  myself  and  baby  while  in  these 
paroxysms,  he  took  his  poor  old  mother  for  his  victim. 
For  this  and  other  reasons  we  concluded  to  go  to  house- 
keeping. 

There  was  an  old  deserted  place  at  the  Falls,  where 
no  one  had  lived  for  years,  called  the  old  Mill  House. 
Two  of  my  husband's  brother  Masons  told  him  that  if 
he  would  fix  it  up  we  might  live  there  free  of  rent  as 
long  as  we  chose,  as  it  was  of  no  use  to  them  in  its 
present  condition.  We  accordingly  lived  there,  Mr. 
Giddings  making  the  repairs  necessary  before  we  could 
occupy  it  with  comfort. 

That  winter  my  health  was  very  poor,  and  I  earned 
nothing  in  consequence.  My  husband  was  employed 
in  the  saw-mill,  and,  working  beyond  his  strength,  so 
aggravated  his  nervous  affection  that  he  did  many 
strange  things.  For  instance,  one  Sunday,  a  few  weeks 
after  he  began  to  work  in  the  mill,  he  sprang  out  of 
bed  with  a  whoop  like  an  Indian's,  and  insisted  on  my 
occupying  a  chair  in  the  middle  of  the  room  while  he 
executed  a  regular  zvar-dance  about  me,  as  if  around 
some  victim  at  the  stake,  stopping  at  last  only  from  ex- 
haustion. Every  Sunday — for,  singular  as  it  may  seem, 
these  fits  always  attacked  him  on  that  day — he  would 
go  through  the  same  performance.  I  used,  at  these 
times,  to  lock  the  doors  and  pull  down  the  curtains, 


A   PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  39 

wishing  to  conceal  all  knowledge  of  his  affliction,  as 
far  as  possible,  from  the  world.  I  really  longed  to  die, 
and  had  not,  consequently,  that  terror  of  him  which 
might  have  been  felt  by  a  happier  woman.  I  could 
even  feel  amused  at  his  freaks ;  for  like  other  insane 
people  his  words  and  actions  were  often  of  a  comical 
order.  I  attribute  to  this  lack  of  fear  the  fact  that  I 
escaped  with  my  life  during  that  terrible  winter,  for  it 
was  often  in  extreme  peril. 

One  day  he  caught  up  a  butcher-knife,  and  made  a 
motion  with  it  as  if  to  take  off  my  scalp.  I  treated  the 
matter  as  a  jest,  and  laughingly  threw  my  head  back, 
intimating  by  the  gesture  that  he  had  better  begin  on 
my  throat.  This  had  the  effect  of  making  him  aban- 
don his  original  design  and  draiv  the  blunt  edge  of  the 
knife  several  times  across  my  bare  throat.  It  may  seem 
almost  incredible  to  the  reader,  but  I  sat  smiling  and 
perfectly  calm.  I  felt  like  a  prisoner  in  a  dungeon, 
to  whom  death  is  a  welcome  relief,  and  while  expecting 
every  moment  that  he  would  reverse  the  knife  and  I 
should  feel  its  sharp  edge,  I  hoped  that  the  stroke 
would  fall,  thus  freeing  me  from  life,  but  without  the 
sin  of  suicide  resting  on  my  soul. 

His  fits  of  insanity  took  different  forms.  This  win- 
ter he  seemed  to  imagine  himself  an  Indian  on  the  war- 
path, and  certainly  he  acted  the  part  admirably.  I 
grew  so  used  to  these  attacks  as  to  expect  them  regu- 
larly every  Sunday,  but  was  never  harmed.  When 
through  working  at  the  mill  he  ceased  to  have  these 
violent  turns. 

The  following  spring  (1869)  my  second  child  was 
born,  a  little  girl.  When  she  was  four  weeks  old  I  re- 
sumed work  in  the  woolen  mill ;  here  she  was  carried  in 
her  cradle,  there  being  no  one  in  whose  charge  I  could 
leave  her. 

I  will  pass  on  to  another  and  still  stranger  experi- 
ence, which  occurred  in  September  of  that  same  year. 
While  sleeping,  I  seemed  to  hear,  as  in  a  dream,  these 


4©  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

words  gently  whispered  in  my  ear,  "God  calleth  thee 
not  yet.  Move  not  even  a  finger,  or  the  tender  cord  of 
life  will  be  severed."  I  still  lay  as  if  asleep,  listening 
to  gentle  words  of  comfort  mysteriously  whispered  in 
my  ear,  when  the  voice  spoke  aloud  and  in  an  altered 
tone — this  time  of  command.  "Now  open  your  eyes," 
it  said ;  "be  calm  and  repeat  these  words  after  me." 

/  opened  my  eyes.  They  rested  on  a  fearful  sight, 
for  my  husband  was  sitting,  or  rather  squatting,  on  a 
large  trunk,  with  his  head  between  his  knees,  while  his 
face  was  horribly  distorted,  his  mouth  being  drawn  so 
as  to  show  all  his  teeth.  He  held  in  his  hand  an  un- 
sheathed razor  and  looked  like  a  wild  animal  ready  to 
spring  on  its  victim,  as  he  would  probably  have  clone 
had  not  the  surprise  of  meeting  my  gaze  fixed  calmly 
upon  him  arrested  him  in  the  act.  He  exclaimed,  with 
a  muttered  oath,  that  he  never  intended  I  should  open 
my  eyes  again  till  I  "opened  them  in  hell." 

"Oh,  I  thank  God !  My  spirit  will  be  free !"  I  ex- 
claimed, and  began  to  praise  the  Lord  in  language  not 
my  own,  for  it  flowed  in  rhythm  from  my  lips  like  an 
impromptu  psalm. 

At  this  time  his  mood  changed.  "I  will  keep  and 
torture  you,"  he  said,  with  a  blood-curdling  look  and 
accent ;  and  then  he  sprang  out  of  the  room. 

The  razor  was  a  new  one,  which  he  had  just  bought 
and  appeared  to  highly  prize.  The  next  morning  I 
could  not  find  it  in  its  usual  place.  In  my  fear  that 
when  he  found  it  gone  he  would  accuse  me  of  hiding 
it  I  told  Mrs.  Mitchell,  a  friend,  of  its  disappearance. 
Together  we  searched  the  house,  and  even  went  up- 
stairs and  turned  over  the  boards  of  the  loose  floor, 
but  could  not  find  it.  For  two  or  three  Sundays  he 
looked  for  the  razor  in  its  accustomed  place,  but  to 
my  surprise  said  nothing.  One  Sunday  he  asked  me  if 
I  had  seen  it.  When  I  replied  in  the  negative  he 
turned  away  without  making  any  answer. 

He  never  purchased  another  razor,  nor  did  he  ever 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE       "  4^ 

again  allude  to  the  subject;  but  a  short  time  afterward 
he  took  my  large  butcher-knife,  broke  it  over  the  stove 
and  threw' it  out  of  doors.  I  purchased  another,  which 
he  broke  in  a  similar  way,  and  afterward,  in  great 
wrath,  forbade  my  ever  bringing  another  into  the 
house.  At  that  time  I  did  not  understand  his  proceed- 
ings, but  now  I  believe  that  he  was  conscious  of  being 
subject  to  homicidal  tendencies,  and  feared  if  such 
weapons  were  allowed  to  remain  around,  he  might  be 
tempted  to  use  them  with  murderous  effect  during  one 
of  his  attacks  of  mental  derangement. 
Hebrews  12:1,  6,  7,  13,  17,  28. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  SPRING  LOT. A  SUCCESSFUL  PLOT. 1  UNITE  WITH 

THE   CHURCH. 

When  not  working  in  the  factory,  I  took  in  washing, 
and  this,  with  the  milk  I  sold,  supported  the  family. 
My  husband  worked  in  the  saw-mill  some  of  the  time, 
but  did  not  take  up  his  wages,  which  I  supposed  would 
go  to  pay  for  a  piece  of  land  that  he  had  bought  at  the 
Falls.  Instead  of  this,  his  employers  charged  every 
cent  of  it  to  our  rent,  though  the  arrangement  had 
been,  when  we  took  the  old  Mill  House,  that  if  we 
could  live  in  it  we  should  have  it  rent  free.  His  two 
Masonic  employers  had  a  receipt  made  out  which  he 
signed. 

I  was  bitterly  disappointed,  and  also  much  amazed 
that  Masons  would  take  such  advantage  of  a  mentally 
weak  brother.  I  thought  it  would  certainlv  be  taken 
up  by  the  lodge,  for  of  course  Masons  alwavs  stood  by 
a  wronged  and  injured  brother.  But  to  my  great  sur- 
prise, nothing  was  done  about  the  violated  agreement. 

My  husband  had  sold  Jeanette  some  time  before,  and 
thus  made  a  payment  on  the  land  above-mentioned. 
We  had  a  valuable  colt,  the  price  of  which,  together 
with  his  wages,  we  calculated  would  nearly  finish  pay- 
ing for  it.  But  one  day  I  saw  the  son  of  another  Ma- 
sonic brother  lead  the  colt  past  our  house.  /  ran  out 
and  asked  zchat  he  zt'as  doing  zvith  the  colt.  He  in- 
formed me  that  my  husband  had  purchased  the  Spring 
Lot,  as  it  was  called — a  piece  of  land  comprising  about 
eleven  acres,  and  with  a  mineral  spring  upon  it,  from 
which  it  derived  its  name — and  that  his  father  had 
taken  the  colt  in  payment. 

42 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  43 

I  went  to  his  house  at  once,  and  explained  how  my 
husband  had  been  cheated  out  of  his  wages,  and  also 
that  the  saw-mill  in  Canada  was  not  yet  paid  for,  and 
we  were  behind  in  our  payment  on  the  three-acre  lot 
in  the  village.  I  pleaded  that  we  should  now  have 
three  pieces  of  encumbered  property,  with  a  fair  chance 
of  losing  them  all.  He  appeared  to  pity  my  distress, 
said  he  was  exceedingly  sorry  I  felt  so  bad  about  it, 
but  refused  to  annul  the  bargain ;  advising,  however, 
that  we  try  to  keep  the  Spring  Lot,  as  it  was  a  valuable 
piece  of  property. 

Mr.  Giddings  sold  his  saw-mill  in  Canada,  also  the 
house  and  land  and  about  three  hundred  dollars'  worth 
of  lumber,  taking  notes  in  return.  These  notes  were 
lost  or  stolen  in  some  mysterious  way,  and  before  he 
reached  home,  as  my  husband  could  give  no  account 
of  them,  we  were  no  richer  for  what  his  Canada  prop- 
erty brought  him. 

The  Spring  Lot  seemed  indeed  a  valuable  piece  of 
real  estate.  My  husband  took  cattle  to  pasture,  and 
thus  paid  the  interest  and  taxes  till  a  neighbor,  who 
owned  the  farm  adjoining,  hired  the  pas.ture  and  paid 
him  enough  to  clear  both,  and  some  over.  When  the 
time  had  expired,  he  notified  Mr.  Giddings  that  he  did 
not  want  the  land  any  longer.  The  next  year  we  dis- 
covered that  the  line  fence  had  been  removed.  The 
farmer  professed  to  know  nothing  about  it  and  refused 
to  allow  us  to  pasture  cattle  there  till  we  put  up  a 
new  fence.  This  we  were  too  poor  to  do.  So,  as  we 
could  not  take  in  pasturing,  his  own  cattle  pastured 
on  our  land,  of  which  we  lost  the  use  and  were  pre- 
vented by  our  poverty  from  seeking  any  redress. 

This  state  of  affairs  continued  for  some  time,  during- 
which  the  support  of  the  family  devolved  entirely  on 
me.  I  was  employed  in  the  factory  summers,  and  took 
in  washing  in  the  winter.  My  husband's  health  was 
so  poor  he  could  work  but  little,  and  though  troubled 
by  the  condition  of  the  Spring  Lot,  I  could  not  spare 


44  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

the  twenty-five  or  thirty  dollars  it  would  require  to 
fence  it,  with  the  chance  that  after  being  put  to  that 
cost  the  fence  might  be  again  removed  as  mysteriously 
as  before. 

One  day  the  farmer  came  and  asked  for  the  deeds 
of  the  Spring  Lot.  He  explained  that  he  was  sent 
by  the  town  clerk,  who  was  examining  the  records, 
this  being  part  of  sixty  acres  of  land,  the  taxes  on 
which  went  to  the  use  of  a  certain  college.  .On  his 
agreement  to  return  the  papers  as  soon  as  possible,  my 
husband  being  away,  I  gave  them  up,  though  rather 
reluctantly,  supposing  it  would  not  do  to  refuse  a  re- 
quest backed  up  by  official  authority. 

Weeks  passed,  and  the  papers  were  not  returned. 
In  answer  to  my  inquiries,  the  farmer  told  me  they 
were  in  the  town  clerk's  office.  I  tried  to  have  my  hus- 
band get  them  back,  but  could  not  make  him  see  the 
importance  of  attending  to  the  matter.  So  the  docu- 
ments were  never  returned,  but  some  time  afterward  I 
was  greatly  surprised  to  learn  that  the  farmer  claimed 
ownership  of  the  Spring  Lot,  and  held  the  deed  of  this 
most  valued  piece  of  real  estate,  which  we  had  strug- 
gled so  hard  to  keep,  and  on  which  we  had  already 
paid  over  three  hundred  dollars,  including  the  cost  of 
the  colt.  I  knew  my  husband's  mental  condition  en- 
tirely unfitted  him  for  business,  but  it  was  not  until  he 
lay  on  his  deathbed,  years  afterward,  that  this,  with 
other  mysterious  transactions,  was  fully  explained. 

Much  as  I  grieved  over  the  loss  of  the  land  and 
Canada  property,  this  was  by  no  means  my  greatest 
trial.  I  could  bear  trouble  if  accompanied  by  a  con- 
scious sense  of  God's  comforting  presence.  But  this 
I  did  not  have.  I  was  still  in  darkness,  burdened  by 
the  knowledge  that  I  was  not  in  full  communion  with 
God.  I  had  turned  aside  in  By-path  Meadow  and, 
like  Christian  in  the  dungeon  of  Giant  Despair,  be- 
moaned bitterly  my  sad  case.  But,  like  him,  I  too, 
found  in  time  the  key  called  Promise.     I  no  longer 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  45 

took  comfort  in  reading  the  "Banner  of  Light,"  and 
turned  to  my  neglected  Bible.  I  longed  to  be  once 
more  able  to  pray,  but  the  faculty  for  praying  in  my 
own  words  I  seemed  to  have  almost  if  not  quite  lost. 
I  therefore  made  up  a  few  brief  prayers  out  of  differ- 
ent Bible  passages,  and  wrote  them  down,  thus  com- 
piling for  myself  a  kind  of  liturgy  which  I  imagined 
to  be  more  acceptable  to  the  Lord  than  any  words  of 
my  own.  One  was:  "Show  me  thy  ways,  O  Lord; 
teach  me  thy  paths.  Lead  me  in  thy  truth,  and  teach 
me  for  Christ's  sake."  Another:  "Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me,  for 
Christ's  sake." 

In  these  words  of  the  faithful  of  old  time,  my  heart 
continually  cried  out  unto  God,  being  always  careful 
to  pray  in  the  name  of  Christ.  The  Bible  so  com- 
manded, and  I  had  never  lost  my  faith  in  the  inspira- 
tion of  God's  Word  since  the  day,  years  before,  when 
that  wonderful  light  had  shown  on  its  pages.  Yet  at 
the  same  time,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  I  had  no  faith 
in  Christ  as  a  Redeemer.  I  believed  in  God  the  Father, 
but  not  in  God  the  Son,  and  did  not  understand  why 
I  was  left  in  spiritual  darkness. 

After  several  months  of  this  earnest  seeking  after 
God,  Mr.  Hall,  a  young  Baptist  minister,  came  into 
the  place  and  held  some  meetings,  which  I  attended. 
Under  his  faithful  preaching  I  found  again  the  hope 
I  had  lost.  Once  more  Christ  was,  as  it  were,  new- 
born in  my  soul,  and  like  Mary  I  "rejoiced  in  God  my 
Saviour."  Again,  I  felt  strong  within  myself.  I 
thought  I  had  great  spiritual  experience.  I  was  sev- 
eral years  older  and  wiser  than  when  I  first  found  my 
Saviour.  With  the  knowledge  I  had  gained  I  was 
sure  Satan  could  never  again  deceive  me.  or  the  wis- 
dom of  man  make  me  turn  aside  unto  lies.  I  would 
prove  my  gratitude  to  the  Lord  for  leading  me  back 
into  the  truth  by  never  again  denying  my  blessed 
Saviour,  and  vowed  again  I  would  live  without  sin. 


46  In  the  enemies^  land. 

About  that  time  an  Episcopal  minister  began  to 
come  to  my  house  twice  a  day  for  milk.  Out  of  the 
fullness  of  my  heart  I  told  him  of  my  experience ;  of 
my  first  joy  in  believing,  and  how  I  had  turned  aside 
to  follow  man's  instruction,  neglecting  my  Bible  and 
reading  the  "Banner  of  Light,"  instead  of  looking  to 
the  Holy  Spirit  for  knowledge,  wisdom  and  under- 
standing. He  referred  me  to  the  third  chapter  of  St. 
John,  fifth  verse,  and  also  to  Matthew  16:18.  He  told 
me  that  I  had  not  entered  in  by  the  door  into  the  sheep- 
fold,  but  was  trying  to  climb  up  to  heaven  some  other 
way ;  that  Christ  did  not  come  to  save  sinners  alone, 
but  to  establish  a  church,  and  that  water  baptism  was 
the  door  through  which  every  one  must  enter  in  order 
to  be  accepted.  If  I  did  not  thus  enter  through  the 
door  into  this  the  only  true  church,  being  the  one 
Christ  himself  had  founded,  I  was  as  liable  to  again 
go  astray  as  when  I  became  a  Spiritualist. 

My  heart  inclined  toward  the  Baptist  church,  as 
it  was  while  attending  Baptist  meetings  that  I  had 
found  my  Saviour,  but  the  Rev.  Mr.  H.  said  the  Bap- 
tists did  not  believe  in  written  prayers,  and  the  fact 
that  I  had  searched  the  Bible  to  learn  how  to  pray, 
and  had  repeated  written  prayers  for  months,  con- 
vinced him  that  it  was  the  will  of  God  for  me  to  unite 
with  the  Episcopal  church.  He  brought  me  books  to 
read  on  these  points,  and  finally  led  me  to  accept  his 
views  so  far  that  on  December  15,  1872,  I  and  my 
two  children  were  baptized ;  and  on  May  1 1  of  the 
following  year  I  was  confirmed  by  Bishop  Bissell. 

I  expected  to  find  great  spiritual  help  within  the 
church,  but  was  grievously  disappointed.  The  mem- 
bers were  a  very  kindly  but  worldly  and  careless  sort 
of  people.  Before  uniting  with  the  church  I  noticed 
that  the  rector  did  not  seem  to  believe  in  conversion 
and  baptism  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  I  began  to  have 
scruples  about  joining.  But  when  I  talked  with  him 
about  it,  he  said  that  he  believed  the  lights  which  I 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  47 

had  seen  at  my  conversion  were  purely  imaginary,  he 
having  never  personally  experienced  anything  of  the 
kind ;  at  the  same  time  there  was  no  sin  in  my  belief, 
and  my  views  in  regard  to  these  and  other  points 
relating  to  my  religious  life  would  be  no  bar  to  my 
joining  the  church. 

My  astonishment  was  great  when,  the  next  Sunday 
after  my  confirmation,  he  began  to  preach  a  series  of 
sermons  especially  directed  against  the  doctrine  of 
conversion  or  spiritual  baptism,  the  last  one  being 
so  much  worse  than  the  others  that  I  with  difficulty 
controlled  my  desire  to  testify  against  what  I  believed 
to  be  such  false  and  anti-Biblical  doctrines,  by  rising 
up  and  leaving  the  church. 

The  next  day  I  called  on  my  rector,  and  telling  him 
how  his  sermons  had  grieved  and  surprised  me,  as- 
sured him  that  if  he  ever  again  preached  against  what 
I  believed  to  be  one  of  the  most  sacred  truths  of  Scrip- 
ture, I  should  leave  the  church  and  forever. 

He  received  my  remonstrance  very  kindly,  and  said 
he  was  sorry  I  took  the  matter  as  I  did.  He  never 
again  preached  against  the  doctrine  of  regeneration 
and  the  new  birth,  yet  many  things  showed  very  clearly 
to  me  that  he  was  as  far  as  ever  from  believing  these 
truths. 

The  first  summer  after  uniting  with  the  church  I 
attended  a  Sabbath-school  picnic.  After  we  reached 
the  grounds  the  rector  was  called  upon  for  a  speech, 
and  stepping  on  a  log,  made  a  few  remarks,  received 
with  much  hilarious  laughter,  to  the  effect  that  he  had 
been  asked  to  make  a  speech,  but  all  he  had  to  say 
was  to  enjoy  themselves  as  much  as  they  could.  The 
picnickers  scattered  to  put  this  advice  in  practice ;  but 
in  the  Sunday-school  celebrations  which  I  had  at- 
tended when  a  child  there  were  always  religious  exer- 
cises ;  and  as  I  looked  on  the  many  careless  and  giddy 
ones   about   me   it  seemed  terrible   to   make   this   an 


48  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

occasion  for  mere  pleasure,  without  a  single  attempt 
to  have  any  religious  impressions  upon  their  minds. 

Saddened  by  these  thoughts,  I  strayed  off  some  dis- 
tance into  the  woods  thinking  I  was  all  alone  in  these 
feelings,  when  I  met  Mrs.  Crampton,  an  old  lady,  who 
had  also  strayed  away  from  the  others.  I  found,  to 
my  delight,  that  she  was  in  full  sympathy  with  me. 
We  spent  nearly  the  whole  day  together,  and  to  me 
at  least  it  was  one  of  great  pleasure  and  profit. 

Just  before  the  picnic  broke  up  I  called  our  rector's 
attention  to  the  fact  that  there  had  been  no  religious 
exercises,  and  my  hope  that  the  day  might  not  be  per- 
mitted to  end  without  something  of  the  kind ;  but 
was  only  told  in  answer,  that  the  Bible  said  there  was 
a  time  for  everything,  and  this  was  a  day  not  for  wor- 
ship but  pleasure. 

I  felt  again  that  I  had  made  a  mistake  in  uniting 
with  the  Episcopal  church. 

Yet,  while  there  was  no  spiritual  union,  I  received 
much  kindness  from  the  members.  I  belonged  to  the 
Ladies'  Auxiliary,  and  my  children  went  to  Sunday- 
school,  but  the  social  advantages  gained  did  not  make 
up  for  the  sad  lack  of  spirituality. 

I  will  give  one  more  instance  that  happened  one  day 
when  calling  on  a  friend.  While  there  our  rector  also 
called,  and  her  husband,  who  was  an  infidel  and  a 
Mason,  began  to  make  fun  of  religion  and  ridicule  the 
Scriptures. 

"You  know  the  Bible  is  not  true,"  he  remarked, 
turning  to  the  rector.  "You  do  not  believe  the  doc- 
trine you  preach." 

"If  I  don't  believe  it,  what  makes  me  preach  it?" 
was  the  careless  reply. 

"It  is  your  profession,  and  the  way  you  get  your 
bread  and  butter,"  laughed  the  other,  "the  same  as 
doctors  or  lawyers  get  their  living,  by  their  profes- 
sion." 

I  noticed  that  these  imputations  were  not  resented. 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  49 

The  rector  took  them  in  good  part,  and  soon  both 
went  away,  talking  and  laughing  in  the  same  banter- 
ing fashion. 

I  felt  very  indignant,  and  after  my  friend's  husband 
returned,  I  remarked  that  "had  such  an  observation 
been  made  to  me  he  would  soon  find  out  that  I  could 
give  a  reason  for  the  hope  within  my  heart  and  the 
truth  of  the  Scriptures,  though  without  a  college  edu- 
cation, like  his  Masonic  brother." 

"I  should  know  better  than  to  speak  to  you  in  that 
way,"  he  answered ;  "but  I  knew  the  rector  would 
take  no  offense.  He  is  like  other  ministers.  None  of 
them  believe  what  they  preach,  and  you  in  time  will 
lose  your  faith  in  these  things."  Through  the  grace 
of  God  this  taunt  of  the  enemy  of  righteousness  was 
never  fulfilled.  Dark  days  were  indeed  coming,  but 
through  this  abundant  grace  I  was  kept  from  falling 
where  many  another  might  have  succumbed.  I  was 
called  to  this  bitter  experience,  and  passed  through  it 
unscathed,  not  from  any  strength  of  mine,  but  "kept 
by  the  power  of  God" ;  kept,  as  I  firmly  believe,  in 
order  that  this  record  might  be  written,  and  thereby 
some  knowledge  of  the  hideous  crimes  practiced  upon 
the  poor  be  brought  before  the  people  of  this  land 
which  boasts  sa  loudly  of  "liberty  and  equal  rights." 

Acts  20:19-24,  26,  2y,  32. 


CHAPTER  V. 

DAYS  OF  POVERTY. — MY  CHILD  OF  PRAYER. 

Notwithstanding  numerous  set-backs,  we  suc- 
ceeded, in  1 87 1,  in  paying  for  the  village  4ot.  The 
next  year  my  husband  was  persuaded  to  build  a  house 
on  this  land,  but  as  we  could  at  the  time  have  bought 
a  place  on  Main  street  for  four  hundred  dollars,  which 
would  be  nearer  the  factory,  and  where  I  could  take 
boarders,  I  did  not  favor  the  building. 

Mr.  K.,  of  whom  my  husband  bought  the  land,  had 
induced  him  to  pay  much  more  than  its  true  value,  at 
the  time  of  purchase,  by  agreeing  to  lay  out  a  street 
on  the  east  side,  which  would  give  him  a  chance  to  sell 
building  lots  at  a  high  price.  But  this  agreement  was 
not  mentioned  in  the  deed,  and,  after  the  bargain  was 
closed,  Mr.  K.  claimed  that  he  did  not  agree  to  put 
the  street  through  until  the  house  was  built.  The 
winter  our  horse  was  attached  he  renewed  his  prom- 
ise to  lay  out  the  street,  making  ours  a  corner  lot  and 
thus  greatly  increasing  its  value,  but  the  house  must 
first  be  built.  This  was  an  indispensable  preliminary 
condition,  and  my  husband  decided  to  build,  although 
my  desire  was  to  buy,  where  I  could  get  work  or  take 
boarders.  I  had  even  some  hope  that  I  could  open  a 
little  store,  and  thus  support  my  children  and  sick  hus- 
band more  easily  than  by  working  out  by  the  day. 

We  moved  into  our  new  house  in  the  spring  of  1873. 
We  had  a  fine  cow  and  a  good-sized  hennery,  and  on 
these  I  was  forced  to  depend  largely  for  our  support. 
Imagine,  then,  my  consternation  when,  one  day  in 
the  following  autumn,  my  husband  came  in  with  the 
milk,  and  told  me  I  must  make  it  go  as  far  as  I  could, 
for  it  was  the  last  we  should  ever  have  from  our  cow. 
He  had  sold  her. 

50 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  51 

I  looked  out  and  saw  a  man  drivinj^  her  off  almost 
on  a  run,  but  too  far  down  the  road  inr  me  to  overtake 
him.  I  never  knew  the  name  of  the  purchaser,  nor 
did  my  husband  know.  He  had  sold  her  for  twenty- 
two  dollars,  which  was  less  than  half  her  real  value. 

From  this  time  dated  a  period  of  the  most  extreme 
poverty;  for,  though  I  went  out  to  work  by  the  day, 
I  could  not  earn  near  so  much  as  when  living  on  Main 
street ;  and  in  December  of  that  year,  the  second  mort- 
gage had  to  be  put  upon  our  place  in  order  to  obtain 
the  means  by  which  to  live. 

My  own  life  was  such  a  dark  mystery,  and  it  seemed 
to  me  so  impossible  under  such  conditions  to  attain 
that  state  of  perfection  for  which  I  longed,  that  in  my 
disappointment  I  had  prayed  to  God  for  a  child  who 
would  serve  him  at  all  times,  and  vowed,  like  Hannah 
of  old,  that  I  would  bring  it  up  to  serve  the  Lord  en- 
tirely. 

Naturally  I  looked  forward  to  a  son,  but  God  gave 
me,  instead,  a  lovely  daughter,  born  on  the  second  of 
April,  1874. 

An  amusing  incident  occurred  when  one  of  the 
neighbors  brought  a  Bible  to  my  bedside,  and  we  found 
that  her  "birthday  verse"  in  the  last  chapter  of  Prov- 
erbs referred  to  "the  son  of  my  vows." 

"Lo,  and  behold  it  is  a  daughter!"  I  exclaimed, 
merrily,  at  which  one  of  my  female  friends  to  whom  I 
had  confided  my  hopes,  seeing  that  I  did  not  take  the 
disappointment  so  much  at  heart  as  she  expected, 
asked  if  the  sex  of  the  child  was  not  a  trial  to  my 
faith. 

"No,"  was  my  glad  answer.  "She  is  just  as  much 
the  child  of  promise  as  if  she  had  been  a  son." 

And  thus  it  proved  through  all  her  brief  earthly  life. 
Sarah — for  she  bore  her  mother's  old-fashioned  Bible 
name — held  a  place  in  my  heart  all  her  own.  With  a 
mother's  fond  pride  I  watched  the  rapid  development 
of  her  childish  charms  into  the  budding  graces  of  girl- 


52  IN    THE    ENEMIES     LAND. 

hood,  and  looked  forward  to  the  time  when  she  would 
be  called  to  do  some  great  work  for  the  Lord,  little 
thinking  that  his  plans  and  purposes  for  my  darling 
might  be  very  different  from  mine. 

The  next  summer  I  went  out  to  work  by  the  day, 
but  the  following  winter  I  was  again  in  feeble  health, 
and  my  husband  able  to  do  but  very  little  for  our  sup- 
port. 

I  still  had  the  hennery,  and  occasionally  went  out 
for  a  day ;  but  we  suffered  greatly  for  the  ordinary 
necessities  of  life,  especially  for  lack  of  fuel.  We  were 
fortunate,  however,  in  having  a  slab  fence.  This  sup- 
plied us  with  wood  enough  to  cook  one  meal  a  day. 
The  rest  of  the  time  we  were  without  a  fire,  and  my 
children,  in  order  to  keep  warm,  had  to  wear  their 
winter  wraps,  and  sit  covered  up  in  quilts.  In  spite 
of  the  hardships  of  their  condition,  the  natural  gayety 
of  childhood  could  not  be  repressed,  and  they  used  to 
amuse  themselves  in  puffing  out  their  breath  and 
watching  it  ascend  in  steam  through  the  frosty  atmos- 
phere. My  husband  took  an  agency  and  was  away 
much  of  the  time,  so  that,  on  account  of  my  delicate 
health,  the  chores  largely  devolved  on  Howard. 
Though  only  a  child  of  seven,  he  cut  up  nearly  all  the 
wood  we  used  that  winter. 

I  remember,  on  two  or  three  occasions,  when  we 
were  having  a  terrible  storm,  and  my  feeble  little  boy 
was  trying  to  hack  some  wood  from  our  slab  fence, 
our  nearest  neighbor,  E.  C.  Burt,  a  cousin  of  my  hus- 
band, called  to  Hbward  to  come  over  and  bring  his  sled. 
The  invitation  was  quickly  complied  with,  and  Howard 
soon  returned,  his  little  sled  loaded  with  hardwood, 
telling  me  that  he  could  have  two  more  loads.  The 
scene  that  followed  would  have  taxed  an  artist's  pencil. 
Little  Anna  ran  to  help  her  brother  unload  the  wood, 
and  baby  Sarah  clapped  her  little  cold  hands  and 
laughed,  while  I  hastened  to  build  a  good  fire  without 
delay,  believing  that  the  Lord  had  sent  us  the  wood  as 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  53 

truly  as  if  it  had  indeed  fallen  from  the  skies.  I  ac- 
cepted it  as  another  token  that  he  had  not  forsaken  us, 
and  soon  had  a  good  supper  ready,  to  which  we  all 
sat  down  with  thankful  hearts.  Howard  prattled  all 
the  time  in  his  childish  way  of  our  neighbor's  kind- 
ness and  how  he  would  pay  him  when  he  got  to  be  a 
man,  and  able  to  buy  his  mother  everything  she  needed. 
Anna's  thoughtful  little  face  plainly  expressed  her  be- 
lief that  this  wonderful  brother  of  hers  was  quite  ca- 
pable of  fulfilling  all  his  promises.  My  own  heart, 
meanwhile,  was  filled  to  overflowing  with  gratitude 
and  praise  that  the  Lord  had  made  me  the  mother  of 
such  lovely  children,  and  granted  me  the  blessed  as- 
surance that  he  would  still  continue  to  provide  for 
their  wants. 

Several  times  before  this  we  had  been  reduced  to 
severe  straits,  when  I  saw  our  last  loaf  of  bread  on 
the  table,  without  the  faintest  idea  where  our  next  meal 
was  to  come  from,  but  in  some  unexpected  way.  He 
who  clothes  the  lilies  of  the  field,  and  cares  for  the 
fowls  of  the  air,  always  supplied  us  our  food  in  season. 
My  husband  had  taken  orders  for  several  books,  but 
was  unable  to  get  the  money  to  send  for  them.  I 
asked  him  why  he  did  not  try  to  borrow  the  money 
from  some  of  his  brother  INIasons,  for  surely  they 
could  not  refuse,  being  sworn  to  aid  him  in  all  cir- 
cumstances of  distress.  He  replied  with  an  oath  that 
"the  Masons  were  good  for  nothing  except  to  get  all 
the  money  they  could  out  of  a  man,  and  make  a  slave 
of  hini"."  He  said  they  had  got  him  completely  in 
their  clutches,  and  ended  by  wishing  them  all  in  a  very 
hot  place,  declaring  that  he  should  never  ask  a  favor 
of  a  single  one. 

He  then  went  up  street,  but  soon  returned,  telling 
me  that  Wellington  Woodworth  had  become  surety 
for  the  books.  Neither  Mr.  Woodworth  nor  the  neigh- 
bor who  sent  me  the  wood  were  members  of  the  Ma- 
sonic lodge,  nor  had  we  received  any  aid  whatever 


54  IN    THE    ENEMIES     LAND. 

from  the  fraternity ;  but  one  day,  somewhat  to  my  sur- 
prise, I  received  a  call  from  one  of  the  high  Masons 
in  the  lodge — Mr.  S. 

Luke  12:2-4,  6,  7,  II,  12. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A      NOBLE     SACRIFICE. — MY      STRANGE      MARRIAGE      EX- 
PLAINED.— A   CONSPIRACY. 

He  expressed  all  the  deep  sympathy  for  us  in  our 
poverty-stricken  condition  which  one  would  naturally 
look  for  from  a  Masonic  brother.  Then,  after  some 
conversation,  filled  with  expressions  of  kindness  and 
desire  on  the  part  of  the  lodge  to  help  us,  he  asked  if  I 
supposed  he  had  given  up  the  proposition  made  to  me 
six  years  before. 

I  must  state,  by  way  of  explanation,  that  he  had 
never  in  all  those  years  revealed  by  look  or  word  that 
he  remembered  the  improper  proposals  made  to  me 
when  I  was  in  his  employ. 

"I  have  waited  all  this  time,"  he  continued,  on  my 
answering  that  of  course  I  supposed  he  had,  "to  see 
you  situated  exactly  as  I  now  find  you, — in  a  place 
where  you  must  see  that  it  is  your  duty  to  accept  my 
ofifer.  You  are  certainly  too  wise  to  refuse  and  let 
your  children  starve  before  your  eyes;  for,  as  you 
well  know,  your  husband  can  never  support  you." 

'T  refuse  to  listen  to  such  words,"  I  exclaimed  with 
indignation.  "Never  will  I  feed  my  children  with  the 
bread  of  crime !  Better,  a  thousand  fold,  that  I  should 
see  them  in  their  graves.  I  will  keep  them  innocent 
and  trust  their  welfare  with  God." 

"Your  religion  is  all  nonsense,"  he  answered  with 
a  smile.  "Perhaps  you  think  tlic  church  people  are 
your  friends ;  but  you  will  soon  find  out  that  their 
godliness  is  a  mere  form.  I  can  report  falsehoods 
about  you,  and  no  one  will  doubt  my  word.  What  will 
they  think  of  you  ?" 

56 


56  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

"I  do  not  fear  your  falsehoods,"  I  replied.  "The 
Lord  will  not  leave  me  long  in  the  power  of  such  a 
man  as  you.  He  will  prove  true  in  spite  of  all  the 
wicked  things  you  may  say  about  me." 

He  then  drew  a  graphic  picture  of  the  situation  I 
and  my  children  would  be  in  without  food  or  friends, 
with  the  promise  that  he  would  support  me  like  a  lady, 
and  put  me  forward  in  society ;  that  his  carriage  would 
always  be  at  my  service,  and  no  suspicions  would  be 
entertained,  as  people  would  only  think  that  he  was 
aiding  the  family  of  a  Masonic  brother.  He 
ended  with  the  threat  that  if  I  remained  obstinate  he 
"would  ruin  both  me  and  my  family" ;  to  which  I  re- 
plied that  I  did  not  fear  him.  I  believed  God  would 
protect  us,  and  should  keep  on  trusting  in  the  Lord  as 
I  had  trusted  him  from  a  child. 

He  repeated  his  remark  that  my  religion  was  all 
nonsense,  and  he  would  prove  his  word  true  in  less 
than  six  months.  He  then  asked  if  Mr.  Giddings  had 
ever  revealed  to  me  the  secrets  of  Masonry. 

I  shook  my  head,  for  I  did  not  choose  to  admit  that 
he  had  in  reality  given  me  the  signs  and  told  me  of  the 
horrible  oaths  he  had  taken,  and  which  were  the  same 
that  I  saw  years  afterward  published  to  the  world  in 
Anti-Masonic  exposures. 

My  husband,  among  other  things,  had  told  me  that 
the  secret  word  given  to  him  was  the  name  of  God, 
which  was  only  to  be  breathed  in  a  whisper.  Mr.  S. 
referred  to  this  and  asked  what  there  was  in  the  name 
of  the  God  of  the  universe  that  was  such  a  secret  as 
to  incur  the  death  penalty  if  spoken  aloud",  or  in  any 
way  revealed.  He  then  added  in  explanation.  We 
have  to  use  these  oaths  and  passwords  for  a  blind 
when  the  members  first  enter,  in  order  to  make  them 
think  they  understand  all  the  secrets,  when  in  reality 
they  know  nothing  about  it  till  we  get  them  where  we 
want  them, — in  a  place  where  they  can't  come  out  on 
us.    If  we  get  suspicious  of  a  man  the  time  is  short  for 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  57 

him  to  tell  his  story.  We  won't  trifle  with  a  man  as 
they  did  with  Morgan.  Do  you  suppose  that  Morgan 
was  really  put  out  of  the  way  for  the  secrets  he  re- 
vealed?" 

"Of  course  I  do,  and  you  can't  make  me  believe  he 
was  killed  for  any  other  cause." 

"That  is  what  a  great  many  Masons  think,"  he  an- 
swered, "as  well  as  you  and  other  people  who  are  not 
in  the  lodge  and  know  nothing  about  it.  We  have  had 
to  be  careful,  since  the  Morgan  affair,  to  whom  vve  re- 
veal the  true  secrets  of  Masonry.  Do  you  really  think 
'a  poor  and  distressed  brother'  means  a  Mason  too  poor 
or  too  sick  to  support  his  family?" 

I  answered  him  it  was  certainly  my  belief.  As  the 
reader  is  aware,  it  had  been  a  cause  of  much  amaze- 
ment with  me  that  my  husband's  brother  lodgemen 
had  always  seemed  to  rob  him  instead  of  giving  him 
help,  as  they  were  sworn  to  do. 

He  then  asked  me  if  I  supposed  that  a  Master 
Mason  knew  anything  about  the  real  secrets  _  of 
Masonry,  assuring  me  that  this  was  far  from  being 
the  case.  No  member  was  allowed  to  know  these  till 
they  had  passed  a  certain  time  of  probation,  and  it 
was  seen  that  they  could  safely  be  trusted.  Their  ig- 
norance, however,  was  made  to  serve  a  useful  pur- 
pose in  backing  up  the  high  Masons,  and  making  it 
appear  that  Masonry  was  really  what  it  pretended  to 
be — a  "purely  moral  and  benevolent  institution." 

'T  have  seen  men  stagger  and  nearly  fall  when  the 
real  secret  was  whispered  in  their  ear,"  he  continued ; 
"but  we  had  them  right  where  they  couldn't  come  out 
on  us.  Now,  what  do  you  suppose  that  one  word  can 
be,  that  will  make  a  man  stagger  and  nearly  fall,  and 
is  sure  death  to  a  man  who  even  threatens  to  ex- 
pose it?" 

"You  ought  to  be  able  to  tell,  but  I  of  course  have 
no  means  of  knowing." 


58  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

"You  certainly  should  know,"  he  replied,  "when  you 
are  that  word." 

I  had  not  the  slightest  idea  what  he  could  mean  till 
he  slowly  spelled  out  W-o-m-a-n. 

"Now  you  have  our  greatest  secret.  Woman  is  the 
true  Freemason's  god,  and  the  word  syllabled  thus, 
W-o  M-a-n.  Wo-man  refers  to  the  penalty  of  death 
in  case  any  affair  of  this  kind  should  be  'revealed,' 
instead  of  'ever  concealed.'  " 

He  went  on  to  strengthen  his  argument  by  citing  the 
example  of  King  Solomon,  who  had  a  thousand  wives 
and  yet  was  the  acknowledged  founder  of  Masonry, 
and  the  wisest  man  that  ever  lived.  So  the  more  wives 
a  Mason  had  the  better  and  wiser  he  was. 

I  then  understood  why  Masonry  claims  King  Solo- 
mon as  its  first  Grand  Master,  and  pays  such  distin- 
guished honors  to  his  memory.  It  also  began  to  dawn 
on  me — though  I  was  more  fully  taught  by  later  ex- 
perience— that  this  was  really  the  Masonic  religion, 
and  the  man  now  expounding  to  me  its  principles  was 
as  sincere  in  his  faith  as  the  IMormon  with  his  plurality 
of  wives. 

It  is  true  that  Solomon  was  the  wisest  man  until  he 
took  to  himself  heathen  wives,  who  overthrew  his 
faith  in  the  true  and  living  God,  and  then  he  became 
a  worshiper  of  idols;  a  participant  in  the  obscene  and 
cruel  rites  of  Moloch.  The  lesson  of  his  disastrous  end 
ought  surely  to  convince  every  man  of  the  danger  of 
trifling  with  vile  women ;  though  Masons,  as  a  rule, 
do  not  choose  their  "gods"  or  mistresses  from  the 
ranks  of  the  fallen  and  corrupt ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
seek  the  purest  and  best  to  be  their  victims,  degrading 
them  finally  to,  perhaps,  an  even  lower  level  than 
themselves,  when,  "made  tenfold  more  the  child  of 
hell,"  the  tempted  (in  her  turn)  becomes  the  tempter. 
My  visitor  then  went  on  to  talk  of  the  Morgan  af- 
fair. He  said  that  Capt.  Morgan  was  not  killed  for 
the  secrets  he  revealed,  but  for  those  they  feared  he 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  59 

would  reveal.  As  soon  as  he  found  out  the  true  prin- 
ciples of  Masonry,  he  began  trying  to  change  the  rules 
of  the  order  in  regard  to  woman.  Tiiis  they  could  not 
do.  If  changed  according  to  his  idea  it  would  not  be 
Masonry.  The  object  of  the  order  was  to  gain  posses- 
sion of  women,  and  if  this,  its  greatest  secret,  were 
blotted  out.  Masonry  would  cease  to  exist. 

Matters,  continued  my  visitor,  finally  came  to  a 
crisis  when  some  of  his  lodge  brethren  tried  to  get 
possession  of  a  woman  who  was  a  friend  or  some  dis- 
tant connection  of  Morgan's — he  was  not  certain 
which.  These  designs  Morgan  opposed  so  strenuously 
that  they  were  forced  to  give  up  their  purpose ;  but 
this  led  to  very  serious  trouble  between  him  and  the 
other  members,  who  accused  him  of  violating  his  Ma- 
sonic oath,  because  he  had  sworn  to  help  worthy,  dis- 
tressed brothers  instead  of  thus  opposing  them.  From 
that  time  on  Morgan  was  a  thorn  in  the  side  of  the 
lodge.  The  next  time  they  tried  to  get  possession  of 
a  woman  by  virtue  of  this  unwritten  law  of  Masonry 
they  were  careful,  remembering  the  trouble  he  had 
made  them  before,  not  to  let  him  know  their  designs. 
In  some  way  Morgan  found  it  out,  and  in  his  anger 
threatened  to  expose  them,  and  give  their  Masonic  se- 
cret to  the  world.  He  never  expected  to  be  killed  for 
his  exposure  of  the  degree  work,  but  he  hoped  to 
frighten  them  into  giving  up  what  had  caused  the 
trouble  between  him  and  the  lodge,  by  their  dread 
that  he  might  go  farther  and  expose  this  inmost  secret 
of  Masonry — its  heart  and  kernel  to  which  the  other 
was  but  the  outside  husk.  They  succeeded  at  last  in 
getting  him  imprisoned  in  some  place  where  he  could 
be  kept  safely  till  it  was  decided  what  to  do  with  him. 
Meetings  were  held  in  the  various  lodges  to  consider 
his  case.  There  was  a  division  in  regard  to  the  mat- 
ter, and  some  wanted  to  save  his  life.  In  fact,  the 
Masons,  according  to  my  informant,  held  Capt.  Mor- 
gan in  great  respect  as  a  man  of  high  character,  and 


6o  IN    THE    ENEMIES     LAND. 

felt  as  badly  about  putting  him  to  death  as  would  any 
outside  the  lodge.  In  vain  he  pleaded  for  his  life,  and 
promised  never  to  make  the  dreaded  exposure.  They 
feared  to  trust  him,  and  it  was  at  last  decided  that 
their  own  safety  required  that  he  should  die.  Accord- 
ingly they  drew  lots,  and  the  men  to  whom  it  fell  to 
make  way  with  him  were  obliged  to  be  his  execution- 
ers, or  themselves  suffer  the  same  penalty. 

At  this  time  I  knew  but  Httle  of  the  Morgan  aflfair. 
I  had  not  heard  his  name  mentioned  since  childhood, 
when  I  used  to  hear  my  grandfather  relate  the  story 
of  Morgan's  murder  to  his  sons,  accompanied  by 
words  of  warning  to  avoid  secret  societies,  and  always 
be  on  their  guard  when  dealing  with  lodgemen.  I 
dared  not  take  a  long  breath  while  he  was  talking  for 
fear  his  story  might  be  suddenly  cut  short  should  the 
narrator  begin  to  realize  that  he  was  revealing  the  true 
secret  of  Morgan's  death ;  the  real  principle  of  Ma- 
sonry. To  defend  woman,  so  terribly  degraded  by  the 
Secret  Empire,  Morgan  gave  his  noble  life. 

But  this  worshipful  successor  of  King  Solomon — 
for  I  think  he  was  Master  of  the  lodge  at  the  time  my 
husband  joined,  and  still  occupied  that  position — be- 
gan to  make  another  revelation  which  filled  me  with 
greater  horror  and  amazement  than  anything  which 
had  preceded  it. 

He  began  by  asking  me  if  I  still  believed  that  it  was 
by  the  will  of  God  I  had  become  the  wife  of  Lewis 
Giddings. 

"Certainly,"  I  replied ;  for  in  truth  I  had  never  fal- 
tered in  the  belief  that  my  strange  marriage  was  or- 
dered by  the  Lord,  for  some  mysterious  and  unknown 
purpose.  Imagine,  then,  my  astonishment  and  chagrin, 
when  I  learned  that,  so  far  from  this  being  the  case, 
the  plans  for  its  accomplishment  were  really  laid  in 
the  lodge.  He,  and  two  or  three  of  his  brother  Ma- 
sons, so  Mr.  S.  assured  me,  had  plotted  the  whole 
thing.     They  had  meant  from  the  first  of  my  coming 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  6l 

to  the  place — a  stranger  and  a  friendless  girl — to  get 
possession  of  me.  Not  seeing  any  other  way  by  which 
to  carry  their  point,  they  told  Lewis  Giddings  that  they 
would  get  me  to  be  his  wife,  and  promised  as  soon  as 
one  child  should  be  born  to  take  him  into  the  lodge 
free,  provided  he  made  no  opposition  to  their  demands. 
Their  supposition  was  that  if  burdened  with  even  one 
child  I  should  be  driven,  through  lack  of  means  to 
support  my  family,  to  accept  support  from  the  lodge- 
men.  He  informed  me  that  they  were  three  or  four 
months  in  plotting  the  affair,  the  most  difficult  point 
being  to  get  me  into  the  carriage  without  rousing  any 
suspicion  on  my  part.  They  finally  thought  of  the 
party,  and  by  this  simple  stratagem  accomplished  my 
marriage  with  even  more  ease  than  they  had  antici- 
pated. 

He  reiterated  his  threat  that  he  would  ruin  both  me 
and  my  children,  and  again  assured  me  that  the  lodge 
had  planned  my  marriage,  and  the  Lord  had  nothing 
to  do  with  it,  etc.  He  then  went  off,  leaving  my  mind 
in  a  state  of  utmost  desperation. 

I  was  aghast  at  these  terrible  revelations.  It  was 
not,  then,  from  my  husband's  love  for  me,  and  fear 
that  he  should  never  get  me  by  my  free  consent,  or 
even  the  will  of  God,  that  I  had  been  drawn  into  this 
evil  marriage.  It  was  all  a  base  Masonic  plot,  con- 
jured up  for  the  vilest  ends. 

I  felt  no  suspicion  when  he  first  entered  the  house 
that  this  lodge  potentate  had  been  drinking,  but  I  have 
reason  to  believe  that  he  was  just  drunk  enough  to 
tell  the  truth.  He  seemed  quite  unconscious  of  hav- 
ing lost  his  Masonic  "jewel,"  for  he  kept  assuring  me 
over  and  over  again  that  this  great  Masonic  secret 
was  one  that  could  never  by  any  possibility  be  revealed  ; 
in  happy  oblivion  of  the  fact  that  he  was  giving  it 
away  at  that  very  moment. 

I  had  no  doubt,  considering  all  the  strange  circum- 
stances of  my  marriage,  that  he  told  me  the  truth. 


62  IN    THE    ENEMIES     LAND. 

All  my  faith  in  the  Lord  seemed  to  vanish  as  I  lis- 
tened. What  had  before  seemed  blessings  looked  now 
like  cruel  mockeries.  "Foolish  child,"  I  moaned,  "to 
trust  in  God,  only  to  be  overcome  at  last  by  my  ene- 
mies. Oh,"  I  cried  in  my  bitter  despair,  "it  is  all  in 
vain  to  serve  the  Lord ;  but  I  will  never  bow  to  the 
authority  of  the  wicked,  and  let  myself  be  forced  into 
a  life  of  sin.  Never!  no,  never!  Yet  how  can  I  and 
my  innocent  children  escape  their  power?" 

In  my  agitated  walk  through  the  room  I  stopped 
before  the  sofa  where  they  were  seated  enjoying  a 
merry  game  with  baby  Sarah,  and  felt  thankful  for 
the  childish  ignorance  that  hedged  them  in  from  any 
knowledge  of  their  mother's  cruel  sufferings. 

Then  a  terrible  thought  crossed  my  mind.  These 
wicked  men  had  succeeded  in  ruining  my  own  life, 
but  I  would  save  my  children.  That  very  night  my 
innocent  little  ones  should  go  beyond  the  power  of 
these  vile  monsters  of  iniquity  to  work  them  any  harm  ; 
and  the  Lord  would  surely  receive  them  into  his  heav- 
enly kingdom.  In  my  extreme  agony  I  thought  of 
others  who,  poor  and  defenseless  like  myself,  were 
trusting  in  the  Lord,  only  to  be  deceived.  I  longed  to 
tell  them  that  their  faith  was  all  in  vain ;  that  it  was 
not  a  God  of  love  and  mercy  in  whom  they  were  trust- 
ing,'but  a  God  of  wrath,  who  allowed  the  poor  and 
helpless  to  fall,  without  hope  of  deliverance,  into  the 
hands  of  the  wicked.  I  would  not  have  them  de- 
ceived as  I  had  been.  If  they  must  perish,  let  it  be 
open-eyed,  and  not  trusting  in  a  false  hope  of  deliver- 
ance. My  heart  went  out  to  the  poor  girls  and  unpro- 
tected women  who,  reduced  to  like  terrible  straits, 
had  succumbed  to  the  enemy  of  their  virtue  and  sold 
themselves  for  bread  which  perishes.  I  would  write  a 
letter  warning  the  people  not  to  trust  in  a  God  who  had 
so  deceived  me  by  failing  to  fulfill  his  promise.  After 
I  and  my  children  were  in  our  graves  somebody  would 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  63 

doubtless  find  the  letter,  and  thus  it  would  be  brought 
to  public  attention. 

I  took  some  paper  and  began  to  write,  in  my  an- 
guish first  relating  how  I  had  sought  the  Lord  when  a 
little  child,  and  had  promised  to  suffer  and  endure  all 
things  for  the  assurance  that  I  was  his.  I  had  kept 
his  commandments  before  me;  I  had  tried  faithfully 
to  walk  in  his  way  and  fulfill  my  part  of  the  covenant. 
It  was  not  I  who  had  broken  it.  First,  he  had  allowed 
me  to  be  deceived  by  the  errors  of  Spiritualism,  leav- 
ing me  to  pass  through  years  of  darkness,  seeking  for 
my  lost  hope.  I  related  how,  in  a  moment  of  despair, 
I  had  sought  to  take  my  life  by  drowning,  yet,  when  I 
had  done  everything  possible  to  aid  the  elements  in 
capsizing  the  frail  boat,  he  had  wonderfully  preserved 
my  life,  as  I  then  believed,  for  some  good  purpose. 

In  this,  too,  I  had  been  deceived.  Even  the  celestial 
music  I  had  heard,  and  the  voices  of  warning  and  com- 
fort which  I  had  accepted  as  tokens  that  a  heavenly 
Father  was  watching  over  his  child,  I  now  thought  were 
only  as  the  wandering  lights  seen  over  marshy  wastes, 
that  delude  the  unfortunate  traveler  to  his  death  among 
the  treacherous  bogs.  In  the  faith  that  God  had  or- 
dered my  marriage,  I  had  been  willing  to  suffer  on  in 
tears  and  sorrow,  rather  than  defeat  his  purposes. 
Now  I  knew  that  it  was  only  a  plot  of  wicked  men. 
God,  instead  of  fulfilling  his  word,  had  left  me  in  their 
power,  and  let  my  children  starve  before  my  eyes. 

I  wrote  thus  far,  and  then  stopped  in  astonishment 
at  my  false  statement.  Certainly  my  children  had  not 
starved  as  yet.  My  charge  against  the  Highest,  as  it 
now  stood,  was  a  false  one.  It  must  be  changed  to 
the  future  tense.  He  will  let  them  starve  before  my 
eyes.  I  moaned,  as  I  looked  on  my  helpless  little  ones. 
Again  I  took  up  my  pen  to  write,  and  again  I  came  to 
a  pause.  How  could  I  be  sure  that  the  charge  was 
true,  even  in  its  altered  form,  unless  I  waited  on  the 


64  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

Lord  a  while  longer,  and  gave  him  opportunity  to  pro- 
vide and  save  us  from  our  enemies. 

I  had  fully  intended,  on  finishing  the  letter,  to  take 
my  children's  lives  as  well  as  my  own.  But  now  other 
and  better  thoughts  checked  its  farther  progress.  It 
began  to  dawn  upon  my  mind  that  I  was  not  after  all 
fulfilling  my  part.  It  was  my  own  passionate  wicked 
heart  that  had  departed  from  the  Lord — not  he  from 
me. 

My  letter  was  not  correct  down  to  the  last  point.  I 
resolved  to  wait  a  little  longer  on  the  Lord  before  I 
rashly  took  things  into  my  own  hands.  Then,  if  my 
children  were  indeed  left  to  starve,  I  would  leave  the 
letter  behind  me  for  a  witness  that  one  soul  in  dire 
distress  had  trusted   God  in  vain. 

Jeremiah  42  :9-ii. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SORROWFUL  DAYS. — THE  ORPHANS'   HOME. — A  CANVASS- 
ING  EXPERIENCE. 

With  a  heart  full  of  bitterness  I  waited  for  my  hus- 
band's return.  I  fully  expected  that  he  would  deny  at 
once,  and  with  the  greatest  indignation,  that  any  such 
plot  had  been  laid  by  his  brother  Masons.  On  the  con- 
trary, he  assured  me  that  it  was  all  true,  and  told  me, 
with  an  oath,  that  I  was  a  fool  to  suppose  the  Lord 
had  anything  to  do  with  my  marriage.  The  sooner  I 
gave  up  the  idea  that  God  either  knew  or  cared  what 
was  going  on  in  this  world,  the  better  it  would  be  for 
me.  We  might,  if  I  only  chose,  be  rich  in  a  few  years. 
I  was  the  one  to  blame  for  our  present  state  of  pov- 
erty. I  would  be  quite  a  decent  woman  if  it  were  not 
for  my  pious  notions,  etc. 

I  listened  to  his  profane  and  abusive  tirade,  too 
shocked  and  sick  at  heart  to  reply.  But  when  he  fur- 
ther told  me  that  he  was  the  natural  guardian  of  my 
children  and  meant  to  make  a  fortune  out  of  our  girls, 
who  were  to  be  brought  up  for  the  lodge,  giving  me  to 
understand  that  he  should  at  once  begin  to  prepare 
them  for  the  life  they  were  to  lead,  and  that  I  was 
where  I  could  not  help  myself,  all  the  outraged  mother- 
hood in  me  awoke. 

The  dread  that  my  husband  would  teach  the  children 
lessons  of  immorality  which  could  never  be  effaced 
and  might  ruin  them  for  all  their  after  lives,  together 
with  the  discovery  I  had  made  regarding  my  mar- 
riage, and  the  base  use  which  the  lodge  intended  to 
make  of  it,  so  worked  on  my  nervous  system  that,  for 
three  days  and  nights,  I  do  not  remember  partaking 

65 


66  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

of  any  food  or  drink,  but  passed  the  time  in  fits  of 
spasmodic  weeping  that  alternated  with  periods  of  un- 
consciousness, during  which  I  lay  as  one  dead  to 
everything  about  me. 

On  the  evening  of  the  third  day  I  sent  my  little  boy 
over  to  the  same  kind  neighbor  who  had  given  us  the 
wood,  with  the  request  that  he  would  come  over  to  my 
house,  as  I  was  ill  and  wished  to  see  him.  I  shall 
never  forget  the  practical  good  sense  with  which  he 
talked,  or  the  kindly  and  encouraging  way  in  which 
he  put  the  situation  before  me.  So  far  from  despair- 
ing of  my  children's  future,  he  assured  me  that  I  was 
now  given  all  the  greater  opportunity  through  their 
father's  unworthiness  of  teaching  them  right  from 
wrong.  I  need  have  no  fear.  A  mother's  influence 
was  always  the  stronger.  For  my  children's  sake  I 
must  bear  bravely  this  added  burden  of  responsibility. 

After  my  conversation  with  him  I  again  took  cour- 
age. To  his  wise  and  timely  counsel  I  owe,  under  God, 
the  preservation  of  my  reason  during  this  terrible 
time.  I  saw  that  everything  depended  upon  my  seek- 
ing to  neutralize  and  supplant,  in  every  possible  way, 
the  impression  made  in  my  children's  minds  by  their 
father's  vicious  teachings,  with  such  precepts  of  purity 
as  can  only  be  learned  through  the  grace  of  our  Lord. 

I  also  felt  it  my  duty  to  seek  legal  protection, 
and  to  this  end  I  went  to  see  an  attorney.  Never 
doubting  that  this  was  a  land  of  law,  and  that 
I  could  invoke  its  aid  to  save  my  children  from 
being  ruined  by  their  unnatural  father,  I  related 
the  whole  case, — my  forced  marriage,  and  the  dreadful 
fate  now  hanging  over  my  young  daughters,  the  old- 
est being  then  only  about  six  years  of  age.  But  conceive 
my  shocked  bewilderment  when  he  told  me  the  sur- 
prising and  shameful  fact  that  there  was  actually  no 
law  in  Vermont  by  which  my  husband  could  be  ar- 
rested, and  fully  confirmed  what  the  latter  had  said 
when  taunting  me  with  my  helplessness  to  withstand 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  67 

him.  Their  father  was  considered  in  law  the  natural 
guardian  of  his  daughters,  and  till  they  were  past 
eighteen  could  make  any  disposition  of  them  he  chose. 
No  legal  cognizance  could  be  taken  of  his  acts  unless 
he  injured  their  health. 

I  know  not  how  the  law  now  stands  in  Vermont, 
but  this  was  the  way  it  stood  in  1875. 

The  attorney  showed  me  great  sympathy  and  kind- 
ness, but  legally  he  was  as  powerless  as  myself.  He 
promised,  however,  to  do  what  he  could.  He  called 
on  my  husband  and  succeeded  in  frightening  him  into 
better  behavior,  so  that  he  did  not  dare  execute  his 
threats  or  use  any  violence  on  his  family,  though  in  his 
treatment  of  me  he  still  continued  to  be  very  abusive. 

Again  I  seemed  left  in  partial  darkness.  I  did  not 
know  whether  the  Lord  was  really  leading  me,  or  I 
was  left  to  battle  in  my  own  strength.  I  could  not  feel 
it  my  duty,  after  what  had  passed,  to  live  any  longer 
with  my  husband,  and  determined  to  secure  a  divorce, 
or  at  least  a  separation.  I  believed  I  could  support  my 
three  oldest  children,  but  could  see  no  way  to  pro- 
vide for  a  feeble  infant  which  must  of  necessity  be 
left  to  the  care  of  strangers,  and  the  fear  that  it  would 
fall  into  careless  or  cruel  hands  rent  my  heart  with  the 
most  profound  grief. 

One  night  my  husband  was  away,  my  children 
locked  in  profound  slumber.  I  had  just  retired, 
when  I  felt  a  hand  pass  lovingly  over  my  head. 
As  it  smoothed  my  hair  and  was  drawn  caressingly 
over  my  face,  I  was  conscious  of  one  peculiarity.  I 
could  feel  the  touch  of  but  three  fingers.  The  fourth, 
the  little  finger,  seemed  to  be  lacking.  It  must  be  men- 
tioned that  at  this  time  I  was  subject  to  violent  fits  of 
weeping,  succeeded  by  alarming  attacks  of  numbness, 
caused  by  the  distress  of  mind  with  which  I  looked 
forward  to  what  seemed  to  me  a  starless  future.  Now, 
as  I  felt  that  soft  hand  pass  over  my  face  and  fore- 
head more  gently  than  a  mother's,  I  began  to  realize 


68  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

that  these  attacks  which  so  seriously  endangered  my 
own  life,  and  that  of  my  unborn  babe,  was  the  result 
of  my  lack  of  faith.  As  the  reader  knows,  I  was  not 
now  a  believer  in  Spiritualism,  but  the  existence  of 
ministering  angels  is  certainly  warranted  by  Scrip- 
ture. I  felt  that  this  soft  touch  on  my  head  was  in- 
deed the  hand  of  some  celestial  visitant,  sent  of  God, 
and  the  experience  soothed  and  comforted  me  beyond 
expression.  Once  more  I  resolved  to  wait  patiently  on 
the  Lord,  and  again  that  sweet  peace  to  which  I  had  so 
long  been  a  stranger  filled  my  heart. 

A  few  days  later,  on  April  lO,  1875,  my  little  Er- 
nest was  born — a  child  of  sorrow  indeed,  for  he  was 
born  in  spasms  which  continued  till  his  death,  a  fort- 
night later.  So  terrible  and  heartrending  were  his 
screams  that  the  nurse  was  made  nearly  sick,  and  as 
she  afterward  told  me,  it  was  three  months  before  her 
nervous  system  recovered  from  the  strain. 

After  he  was  laid  out  I  went  into  the  bedroom  all 
alone  and  looked  down  at  the  lines  of  sorrow  stamped 
upon  the  pale  baby  face,  settled  now  into  the  stillness 
of  death.  Something  seemed  to  whisper  in  my  ear, 
"The  little  one  is  gone!"  I  thought  of  that  gentle, 
angelic  touch,  and  the  significance  of  the  missing  fin- 
ger seemed  at  once  to  flash  on  my  mind.  I  had  now  my 
three  eldest  children  to  care  for,  but  the  little  one  was 
indeed  gone,  and  brief  as  was  his  life,  and  full  of  suf- 
fering, I  grieved  as  much  over  his  loss  as  if  I  had 
been  the  happiest  of  mothers. 

About  this  time  my  attention  was  attracted  to  a  no- 
tice in  some  paper  of  the  Orphans'  Home  at  Burling- 
ton, and  it  seemed  to  me  the  Lord  had  pointed  out  the 
way  in  which  my  children  could  receive  the  care  and 
Christian  training  which  I  would  be  unable  to  give, 
as  all  my  time  and  energies  would  necessarily  be  ab- 
sorbed in  earning  the  money  for  their  support. 

I  appealed  to  my  rector,  who  kindly  wrote  to  the 
ladies  in  charge,  and  places  were  secured  for  my  chil- 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  O9 

dren  in  that  institution.  I  was  obliged  to  sell  some  of 
my  furniture  in  order  to  get  the  money  to  take  them 
there. 

Mrs.  Hickock,  who  was  then  President  of  the  Home, 
received  me  with  great  kindness,  but  at  the  same  time 
put  me  through  a  severe  cross-examination,  which 
forced  me  at  last  to  unburden  my  heart  of  its  sad 
story,  and  tell  her  all  about  my  present  distressed  con- 
dition. She  sent  a  line  to  the  matron,  authorizing  her 
to  give  me  supper,  breakfast  and  a  night's  lodging  at 
the  Home,  free  of  charge;  also  to  have  me  taken  to 
the  station  in  the  morning. 

I  could  not  endure  the  thought  of  leaving  my  chil- 
dren thus  abruptly  in  a  strange  place.  As  I  had  a 
little  money  I  decided  to  board  myself  on  crackers 
for  a  few  days  till  I  saw  my  little  ones  fully  estab- 
lished and  contented  in  their  new  home. 

I  went  to  the  American  House  and  asked  the  clerk 
to  give  me  the  cheapest  room  in  the  hotel  without 
meals.  He  looked  at  me  sharply  for  a  moment;  then 
remarking  that  he  would  see  the  proprietor,  invited 
me  into  the  parlor.  In  a  few  moments  a  tall  gentle- 
man appeared,  greeted  me  courteously,  and  after  such 
close  questioning  that  I  was  obliged  to  state  my  errand 
to  Burlington,  and  the  reason  why  I  desired  to  re- 
main for  a  few  days,  told  me  that  I  should  have  a 
room  in  the  hotel  and  pay  what  I  felt  able,  but  only 
on  the  condition  that  I  took  my  three  meals  a  day  at 
the  hotel  tabic,  which  would  be  without  charge.  He 
would  not  hear  of  my  taking  a  room  and  living,  or 
rather  starving,  on  crackers.  I  was  astonished  at  such 
kindness  from  an  entire  stranger,  and  could  do  no  less 
than  accept  it.  On  my  departure  the  clerk  told  me 
there  was  no  charge,  but  I  insisted  on  making  some 
little  payment,  which  of  course  fell  far  short  of  hotel 
rates,  but  satisfied  in  some  degree  my  sense  of  self- 
respect  that  found  it  difficult,  even  in  these  circum- 
stances, to   accept  of   charity.      The   clerk   took   the 


70  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

money,  but  with  evident  reluctance.  I  was  very  young 
at  the  time — only  twenty-eight — and  my  condition  at- 
tracted much  sympathy.  In  fact  I  have  always  found 
that  the  natural  tie  of  our  common  humanity  goes  far 
beyond  any  secret  society  grip  or  password  for  secur- 
ing aid  when  in  distress. 

On  the  third  day  I  went  to  see  my  children  and  was 
kindly  received  by  the  matron  and  her  assistants.  They 
took  me  to  the  door  of  a  room  where  a  lady  was  teach- 
ing the  little  ones  to  sing.  I  watched  them  unobserved, 
and  was  delighted  as  well  as  surprised  to  see  how  read- 
ily Howard  and  Anna,  who  were  musical  from  infancy, 
had  caught  up  the  simple  airs,  and  with  what  spirit 
they  sang.  The  elder  ones  stood.  Even  baby  Sarah, 
who,  unable  to  walk,  was  seated  like  the  others  of  sim- 
ilar age  in  a  low  chair,  tried  to  join  in,  and  clapped 
her  chubby  hands  gleefully. 

I  stayed  for  a  few  hours ;  was  shown  the  beds  where 
the  children  slept  and  the  many  provisions  made  for 
their  comfort ;  then  bade  my  little  ones  farewell,  and 
leaving  in  their  hands  a  few  simple  presents,  went  back 
to  the  hotel.    The  next  day  I  returned  to  Enosburg. 

I  had  taken  an  agency  for  "The  Bible  Looking- 
Glass,"  and  several  papers,  together  with  a  variety  of 
cheap  pictures.  My  first  field  of  work  was  in  the  town 
of  Richford,  Vt.,  where  I  arrived,  a  complete  stranger, 
late  in  the  afternoon.  I  noticed  a  hotel  bearing  the 
same  name  as  the  one  in  Burlington  where  I  had  been 
treated  with  such  kindness.  This  naturally  predis- 
posed me  in  its  favor,  and  I  concluded  to  apply  there 
for  a  night's  lodging,  but  meanwhile  there  was  time 
enough  to  do  a  little  canvassing  before  dark. 

I  walked  up  to  the  door  of  the  nearest  house. 
The  lady  invited  me  in,  and  said  that  as 
soon  as  she  was  through  washing  the 
supper  dishes  she  would  look  at  my  book.  She  en- 
tered into  a  conversation  with  me,  and  in  response  to 
her  questioning  I  told  her  I  was  a  stranger  in  the 


A   PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  71 

place  and  intended  to  stop  at  the  hotel.  She  learned 
also  that  my  children  were  in  the  Home  and  I  nearly 
penniless.  To  my  surprise  she  invited  me  to  stay  with 
her  that  night,  an  invitation  which  I  readily  accepted. 

The  next  morning,  before  starting  out,  I  told  her, 
with  tears  in  my  eyes,  how  I  had  dreaded  taking  an 
agency,  knowing  that  agents  were  often  looked  upon 
as  a  nuisance.  She  comforted  me  much  by  telling  me 
that  her  sympathies  were  excited  as  soon  as  she  saw 
me  coming  up  the  walk  to  her  house  the  previous  even- 
ing, for  she  saw  plainly  by  the  expression  of  my  face 
that  I  was  in  deep  trouble;  that  she  thought  others 
would  feel  the  same,  and  that  I  need  not  fear  being 
treated  unkindly  by  any  person  in  Richford.  Not  con- 
tent with  bare  words  of  encouragement,  she  invited  me 
back  to  her  house  that  night.  I  stayed  with  this  gen- 
erous widow  all  the  time  I  was  canvassing  in  Richford. 

In  spite  of  her  kindness,  my  heart  was  heavy  as  I 
set  out  on  a  work  so  unusual.  But  her  words  were  true. 
With  an  inward  prayer  that  God  would  incline  the 
hearts  of  the  people  to  subscribe  for  my  book,  I  went 
from  house  to  house  in  prayer,  seldom  being  treated 
unkindly.  I  canvassed  successfully  all  that  summer, 
making  a  profit  of  one  dollar  and  ten  cents  on  my  poor- 
est day,  and  sometimes  making  even  as  high  as  six  dol- 
lars a  day. 

I  soon  learned  to  enjoy  my  new  vocation.  There 
were  many  pleasant  things  connected  with  it  besides 
the  large  pay  I  was  making.  I  met  manv  kind  people, 
and  had  the  pleasure  of  occasionally  speaking  words  of 
comfort  to  those  in  distress.  I  had  also  many  interest- 
ing experiences,  one  of  which  I  will  relate,  as  it  may 
amuse  the  reader,  besides  having  the  advantage  of  a 
moral. 

I  called  one  day  at  che  home  of  a  church  deacon  in 
Enosburg.  His  wife,  with  whom  I  was  somewhat  ac- 
quainted, received  me  very  kindly  and  invited  me  to 
stay  to  dinner.    She  introduced  me  to  her  husband  and 


72  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

explained  that  I  was  taking  orders  for  an  excellent 
book  entitled  "Bible  Looking-Glass." 

"Canvassing,  ha?"  he  remarked  gruffly. 

I  assented. 

"Well,  I  have  my  opinion  of  women  who  will  leave 
their  homes  and  go  tramping  round  the  country.  Such 
tramps  ought  to  be  arrested  and  put  to  work." 

I  assented  to  all  he  said,  as  if  his  opinion  was  worthy 
of  the  greatest  respect,  while  his  poor  wife  looked  ready 
to  faint. 

"I  never  expected  one  of  those  vagrants  would  take 
dinner  in  my  house,"  he  went  on  in  the  same  insulting 
manner ;  "but  as  my  wife  has  invited  you  I  suppose  I 
must  let  you  have  something  to  eat." 

I  met  his  glance  across  the  table  at  me  with  a  smile, 
and  assured  him  I  "appreciated  his  kindness." 

"Been  in  the  business  long?" 

"I  have  only  canvassed  the  town  of  Richford." 

"Get  many  dogs  set  on  you?" 

"No,  sir,  not  one." 

"Well,  that's  queer.  I  keep  a  dog  on  purpose  to  set 
on  tramps.  You  was  lucky  to  get  into  the  house  before 
I  saw  you." 

"It  is  better  to  be  lucky  than  rich,"  I  replied,  with  a 
smile  that  seemed  to  puzzle  him. 

"Meet  many  Jews?"  he  asked. 

"Very  few,"  I  replied. 

"The  most  fun  I  have,"  he  continued,  "is  setting  my 
dog  on  Jews.  One  of  them  fellows  came  into  the  field 
the  other  day.  I  let  him  get  his  pack  open.  Then  I 
whistled  to  my  dog  and  told  him  to  'get.'  I  wish  you 
could  have  seen  him  scramble  his  things  into  his  pack 
when  he  saw  the  dog  coming.  How  he  run  and  swore ! 
I  had  to  lay  right  down  and  laugh,  I  was  so  tickled." 

How  my  heart  was  shocked  and  mv  face  took  a  se- 
rious turn. 

"I  would  not  mind  you  setting  your  dog  on  me  if  it 
would  afford  you  any  pleasure,"  I  said  in  disdain,  "but 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  73 

I  am  sorry  you  set  your  dog  on  Jews.  What  do  you 
suppose  they  think  of  us  Christians,  or  our  Saviour, 
whoin  we  profess  to  follow  ?'' 

"Never  thought  of  that,"  he  said,  getting  very  red 
in  the  face,  while  his  wife  cast  upon  me  a  look  of  grat- 
itude. 

"Perhaps  if  you  knew  a  little  more  about  us  tramps 
you  would  not  censure  us  so  harshly." 

"Perhaps  not." 

"Would  you  like  to  know  how  I  came  to  be  tramping 
about  the  country  ?" 

"Certainly,"  he  said,  still  looking  very  confused. 

"I  have  three  small  children,  the  oldest  eight;  the 
youngest  cannot  walk.  As  my  husband  is  unable  to 
work  their  support  devolves  on  me.  There  are  three 
things  I  can  do.  I  can  earn  fifty  cents  a  day  by  going 
out  to  work  washing,  and  a  dollar  a  day  by  working  in 
the  factory.  In  either  case  my  children  would  have  to 
be  left  alone,  with  no  one  to  care  for  them.  Then,  last 
and  most  despised  of  all,  is  canvassing,  in  which  I  can 
average  about  two  dollars  and  a  half  or  three  dollars  a 
day.  This  enables  me  to  have  my  little  ones  boarded 
in  the  Burlington  Home  for  Destitute  Children,  where 
they  will  have  Christian  training,  be  kept  neat  and 
clean,  and  be  kindly  cared  for.  You  and  I  are  com- 
municants of  what  is  claimed  to  be  the  only  true  Church 
of  Christ.  As  you  are  a  church  officer  will  you  please 
tell  me  which  one  of  these  things  I  ought  to  do?" 

"Never  looked  upon  canvassing  in  that  light  before," 
he  admitted,  clearing  his  throat  in  an  embarrassed  fash- 
ion. "You  are  surely  justified  in  the  work  you  have 
chosen,  and  I  will  pav  for  all  mv  women  folks  buy  of 
you." 

His  surly  mood  had  entirely  changed,  and  as  he  took 
his  hat  to  go  out  to  the  field  lie  turned  to  his  wife  and 
said : 

"Trade  all  you  want  to  with  this  lady,  and  it  will  be 
all  right." 


74  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

Full  advantage  must  have  been  taken  of  this  per- 
mission, for  I  remember  that  my  profits  on  what  they 
purchased  amounted  to  considerable. 

But  fresh  trials  were  coming,  by  which  my  faith  was 
to  be  severely  tested,  and  I  was  to  discover,  wath  new 
amazement,  w^hat  the  malignant  spirit  of  the  anti-Christ 
is  able  to  accomplish  in  the  church. 

Nearly  every  Saturday  I  went  home  and  cooked  up 
enough  food  to  last  my  husband  through  the  following 
week.  I  also  did  his  washing  and  mending,  as  well  as 
mine.  This  gave  me  the  opportunity  of  attending  my 
own  church  every  Sunday,  and  also  Sunday-school, 
where  I  had  a  class  of  small  scholars. 

One  Sunday,  as  I  entered  the  church,  I  was  surprised 
to  see  the  horrified  glances  cast  upon  me  by  the  con- 
gregation. Even  people  who  had  always  been  in  the 
habit  of  speaking  and  treating  me  in  the  kindest  man- 
ner now  turned  their  heads  away  as  I  approached,  and 
refused  to  take  any  notice  of  me. 

Then  I  knew  Mr.  S.  had  executed  his  cruel  threat, 
but  I  could  not  understand  how  it  could  take  such 
widespread  and  immediate  effect.  The  Sunday  before 
the  congregation  were  as  friendly  as  usual.  I  dearly 
loved  the  church  and  the  church  people,  and  tried  for 
their  sakes,  whom  I  counted  as  beloved  brothers  and 
sisters,  to  bring  the  truth  before  them.  But  in  vain.  I 
was  shunned  as  if  I  had  the  leprosy.  I  could  not  ap- 
proach near  enough  to  tell  my  story,  or  hold  any  con- 
versation by  which  I  could  find  out  what  charges,  if 
any,  had  been  made  against  me. 

I  was  coming  home  one  day  from  a  canvassing  trip 
when  Mr.  S.  met  me  on  my  way  from  the  depot,  and 
said  in  the  verv  kind  and  social  manner  he  knew  so 
well  how  to  assume,  and  which  would  have  led  a  stran- 
ger to  suppose  him  the  best  friend  I  had  on  earth : 

"You  see  I  am  right.  Religion  is  only  a  profession. 
The  people  and  the  rector  have  all  turned  against  you 
and  are  siding  with  me.     Would  they  do  that  if  there 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  75 

was  anything  in  their  rchgion?  Folks  are  saying  that 
you  are  to  blame  for  all  this  trouble  between  yourself 
and  your  husbantl,  and  for  putting  your  children  in  an 
Orphans'  Home.  They  are  even  saying  that  you  ought 
to  be  tarred  and  feathered.  Now,  don't  you  wish  you 
had  listened  to  me?"  he  added  with  a  smile. 

"Never!"  I  cried  defiantly.  "1  would  rather  be  de- 
spised by  all  the  people  on  earth.  And  as  to  the  tar 
and  feathers,  I  am  not  afraid.  But  it  does  look  as  if 
God  had  forsaken  me." 

"It  is  strange  you  can't  have  more  sense  in  your 
head,"  he  answered.  "One  word  from  me  would  make 
everything  all  right.  Even  the  rector  says  you  'are  a 
disgrace  to  the  church  and  community.'  And  certainly 
it  is  a  disgrace  to  abandon  your  helpless  children  to  the 
care  of  strangers  and  go  tramping  around  the  country, 
cut  ofi  from  all  decent  society." 

He  then  added  that,  so  far  as  help  from  a  divine 
Power  was  concerned,  he  would  be  a  better  friend  to 
me  and  my  cliildren  than  the  Lord  had  proved,  and  pre- 
dicted that,  as  I  had  lost  my  faith  in  the  church  people, 
I  should  soon  lose  it  in  God. 

"Your  words  are  vain  and  without  weight,"  I  cried. 
"I  have  trusted  in  the  Lord  from  a  child  and  will  con- 
tinue to  trust  Him.  I  will  wait  His  appointed  time, 
when  I  know  He  will  bring  you  to  justice  and  make 
you  remember  this  hour.  If  I  only  had  faith  He  would 
surely  overthrow  all  these  great  mountains  of  sin  that 
hedge  me  in  on  every  side.  The  Bible  tells  how  the 
hireling  will  flee.  You  know  the  rector  has  no  reason 
to  turn  against  me.  You  may  deceive  him,  but  you 
cannot  deceive  the  Good  Shepherd,  who  laid  down  His 
life  to  save  mine.  These  terrible  sufferings  can  do  me 
no  harm.    The  Lord  has  pow-er  to  right  every  wrong." 

I  wrote  down  this  conversation  as  I  had  written  down 
others,  not  knowing  how  soon  the  exact  language  might 
slip  from  memory,  and  wishing  to  preserve  a  truthful 
record  as  far  as  possible,  and  prove  to  the  world  which 


76  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

is  Strongest,  might  or  right.  Now  that  more  than  a 
score  of  years  has  elapsed  the  comment  which  I  find 
written  down  at  one  place  in  the  manuscript,  that  "God 
will  sometime  bring  this  record  to  the  light  of  day,  in 
order  that  men  may  know  how  he  can  and  will  defend 
the  right,"  has,  it  seems  to  me,  an  almost  prophetic  sig- 
nificance. 

Though  a  Mason's  wife,  I  had  fortunately  taken  no 
vows  upon  me  to  shield  Masonic  wickedness,  and  I 
went  at  once  to  the  rector. 

"If  you  considered  I  was  doing  wrong,  my  rector," 
I  said,  "why  did  you  not,  instead  of  telling  other  people 
your  bad  opinion  of  me,  come  and  talk  with  me 
about  it  ?" 

A  surprised  and  sorrowful  look  overspread  his  face. 

"You  have  "certainly  been  misinformed,"  he  an- 
swered. "I  believe  you  have  done  the  best  you  could 
under  the  unfortunate  circumstances  of  your  lot,  and 
have  never  blamed  you  in  the  least." 

I  then  told  him  the  remark  that  Mr.  S.  had  reported 
as  having  been  made  by  him,  and  which  had  evidently 
spread  all  over  the  village. 

"The  truth  is  this,"  answered  the  rector  after  a  per- 
plexed pause:  "Mr.  S.  came  to  me  with  a  long  com- 
plaint of  the  trouble  you  have  been  having  with  your 
husband.  Of  course  I  had  to  say  something,  but  I 
tried  to  say  as  little  as  possible.  I  simply  remarked 
that  'such  work  was  a  disgrace  to  the  church  and  com- 
munity.'    I  never  said  you  were  a  disgrace." 

"My  husband  cannot  well  disgrace  the  church,"  I 
said,  "for  he  is  not  a  member.  Mr.  S.  and  a  few  of  his 
brother  Masons  are  more  responsible  for  the  trouble 
we  are  now  having  than  either  my  husband  or  myself, 
and  if  you  continue  to  keep  that  man  in  the  choir  and 
allow  him  to  retain  his  official  position  I  shall  leave  the 
church." 

"But  you  certainly  do  not  hold  the  church  responsi- 
ble for  the  falsehoods  Mr.  S.  is  reporting?" 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIEf.  lE  77 

"You  know  very  well  that  Mr.  S.  believes  in  neither 
God  nor  the  Bible.  Why  should  an  avowed  infidel  be 
allowed  to  hold  office  in  the  church  where  his  only  ob- 
ject is  to  defile  the  purity  of  its  members  and  work  all 
the  harm  it  can?" 

The  rector  mused  for  a  moment.  He  seemed  really 
perplexed  to  find  an  answer. 

"Xeitiier  the  organ  nor  the  stove  believe  in  God,"  he 
said,  finally,  "but  they  are  necessities.  So  it  is  neces- 
sary to  have  singers  and  church  officials,  and  we  can- 
not help  it  though  we  may  regret  it,  if  they  are  not  al- 
ways such  as  we  would  like  to  have.  Would  you  have 
the  organ  or  the  stove  put  out  of  the  church  because 
they  do  not  believe  in  God?" 

I  answered  that  neither  the  stove  nor  the  organ  were 
capable  of  sinning  against  God.  Were  it  otherwise,  I 
should  certainly  advise  putting  them  out.  He  well 
knew  that  Air.  S.  was  an  immoral  man  and  a  blas- 
phemer, which  could  not  be  said  of  either  of  those  arti- 
cles of  church  furniture. 

To  this  he  made  a  general  reply,  that  Mr.  S.  would 
have  to  answer  for  his  own  sins,  and  advised  me  not  to 
pay  any  attention  to  the  stories  he  was  circulating.  The 
people  all  knew  I  was  doing  the  best  1  could,  and  he 
hoped  I  would  not  leave  the  church  for  any  such  rea- 
son. He  then  remarked  on  the  duty  of  exercising  char- 
ity toward  each  other,  saying  that  we  all  had  our  faults 
and  failings,  and  needed  at  times  to  have  them  covered 
up  by  its  broad  mantle,  etc. 

I  knew  the  Bible  commended  charity  above  every  oth- 
er Christian  grace,  and  I  endeavored  conscientiously  to 
follow  at  least  this  part  of  his  counsel.  So  I  remained 
in  the  church  and  tried  to  accept  patiently  the  unde- 
served coldness  and  slights  of  those  who  should  have 
rallied  round  me  in  my  hour  of  trial,  instead  of  leaving 
me,  so  far  as  Christian  help  and  sympathy  was  con- 
cerned, to  fight  the  battle  alone. 

A  few  weeks  after  I  learned  that  there  was  going  to 


78  IN   THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

be  a  grand  meeting  of  the  Masonic  lodge,  and  was 
told  by  my  husband  that  it  was  a  special  meeting  at 
which  every  Mason  was  required  to  be  present.  As  I 
neglected  to  write  down  details  I  do  not  now  remember 
whether  it  was  one  to  which  members  of  other  lodges 
were  invited,  nor  can  I  give  the  date.  It  was  a  very 
warm  evening,  and  as  I  was  baking  and  ironing  to- 
gether, doors  and  windows  were  wide  open. 

Somewhere  between  the  hours  of  ten  and  eleven  I 
noticed  a  number  of  men  congregated  at  some  distance 
from  the  house,  but  supposed  them  to  be  strangers 
from  out  of  town,  who  were  taking  a  stroll  about  the 
village,  it  being  a  bright  moonlight  night. 

I  kept  on  with  my  work  till  I  heard  a  sound  as  of  a 
loud  disputing.  The  thought  occurred  to  me  that  the 
men  I  saw  had  been  drinking,  and  I  put  down  my  win- 
dows, intending,  if  I  saw  them  start  for  the  house,  to 
lock  the  doors.  They  stayed  in  the  same  spot  for  some 
time,  and  occasionally  I  heard  their  voices  raised  as  if 
in  a  violent  quarrel.    Then  all  was  quiet. 

I  looked  out  again.  The  group  had  disappeared. 
On  another  evening,  a  short  time  after,  I  was  at 
home,  and  my  husband  absent,  when,  looking  out,  I 
was  surprised  by  the  sight  of  a  group  of  men  standing 
by  the  corner  of  the  fence.  At  the  same  time  I  noticed 
a  man  coming  down  the  hill  almost  on  a  run.  He 
stopped  and  began  talking  to  the  others,  gesticulating 
at  the  same  time  in  an  angry  and  excited  way.  Then 
two  of  the  group  went  out  into  the  road,  seemingly  as 
spokesmen  for  their  comrades,  though  the  other  seemed 
to  do  most  of  the  talking.  The  two  then  went  back  to 
their  fellows  grouped  in  the  corner  of  the  fence,  the 
newcomer  still  continuing  to  loudly  dispute  some  point 
with  them,  though  I  was  too  far  off  to  hear  what  was 
said.  In  a  little  while  the  men  dispersed,  a  few  going 
down  the  road,  while  the  others  took  the  way.  to  the 
village. 

A  day  or  two  after  one  of  my  neighbors,  with  whom 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  79 

I  had  not  previously  had  any  trouble,  came  to  my  house 
and  began  a  most  violent  tirade  of  abuse.  Her  lan- 
guage was  much  too  vulgar  and  profane  to  be  repeated 
here ;  but  she  told  me,  in  substance,  that  for  all  my  pro- 
fessed piety  I  was  thought  less  of  by  the  church  and 
community  than  she  who  made  no  such  pretense  ;  that  I 
was  considered  so  vile  a  character,  in  fact,  that  some 
of  the  village  people  had  twice  got  together  to  tar  and 
feather  me.  She  knew  all  about  it,  because  the  tar 
had  been  heated  at  her  house,  and  she  assured  me,  fur- 
thermore, that  when  they  set  about  it  the  third  time  it 
would  be  done. 

To  picture  my  state  of  mind  would  be  impossible. 
In  spite  of  the  fact  that  a  Mason  had  twice  threatened 
me  with  this  fate,  it  seemed  to  me  incredible,  as  it 
doubtless  does  to  the  reader,  that  such  an  outrage  could 
be  thought  of  in  a  civilized  community. 

In  my  distress  I  went  to  the  house  of  Mrs.  Mitchell, 
whose  name  has  been  mentioned  on  a  previous  page, — 
one  of  the  few  friends  who  stood  by  me  in  those  days  of 
persecution.  When  I  stated  what  I  had  heard  I  saw  a 
frightened  look  flit  suddenly  across  her  face,  as  if  my 
words  had  confirmed  some  dreadful  suspicion  of  her 
own. 

"My  husband  has  told  me  of  the  attempted  outrage," 
she  answered  at  last.  "But  I  thought  he  only  said  it 
to  scare  me,  and  see  what  an  absurd  story  he  could 
make  me  believe.  Now  I  am  afraid — or  rather  I  am 
sure — it  is  true.  Why  don't  you  go  away — to  Burling- 
ton ?  You  can  canvass  there  and  be  near  your  children. 
You  are  not  safe  here.  Your  enemies  may  let  the  mat- 
ter drop  for  a  while,  and  then  at  some  unexpected  mo- 
ment get  together  again  and  accomplish  it." 

But  this  advice  it  was  not  possible  for  me  to  take 
under  the  circumstances,  for  having  applied  for  a  di- 
vorce, I  was  obliged  to  stay  at  home  some  of  the  time. 
Had  I  left  it  altogether  in  the  manner  proposed  my 
homestead  claim  would  have  been  forfeited. 


8o  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

Her  husband  came  in  while  we  were  talking.  He 
was  a  rough  man  and  a  hard  drinker,  but  perfectly 
sober  on  the  present  occasion.  After  passing  the  usual 
salutations  he  told  me,  in  a  half- jocose  way,  that  he 
was  near  coming  down  to  see  me  the  other  night.  He 
added  that  "the  boys"  were  getting  up  a  crowd  for  that 
purpose,  and  he  was  among  them.  He  went  on  to  ex- 
plain all  about  it  so  far  as  he  knew.  As  the  best  way  to 
thwart  their  designs  he  had  joined  the  mob,  pretending 
to  be  of  the  same  mind.  At  the  last  moment  the  leader 
backed  out  and  threatened  to  have,  them  all  arrested. 
But  there  were  enough  in  the  crowd  who  were  on  my 
side,  even  without  the  defection  of  their  leader,  to  have 
turned  the  balance  in  my  favor.  He  assured  me  that 
had  the  opposite  side  carried  their  point  so  far  as  to 
come  to  the  house  there  would  have  been  a  free  fight 
between  the  two  factions.  He  ended  by  advising  me  to 
see  an  attorney,  as  he  was  afraid  another  trial  might 
be  made.  HI  would  do  so,  he  knew  the  men  well,  and 
promised  to  give  the  necessary  evidence. 

My  information,  when  I  laid  it  before  Attorney  Ladd, 
greatly  excited  him.  He  caught  up  his  hat,  and  with 
the  exclamation  that  "this  must  be  attended  to  at  once," 
left  the  office.  How  industriously  he  followed  up  the 
case  I  learned  incidentally  from  a  remark  of  my  hus- 
band when  he  came  home,  that  "Attorney  Ladd  was 
rushing  about  the  village  like  a  hen  with  her  head  cut 
ofif,  and  it  looked  as  if  he  was  going  to  put  the  whole 
neighborhood  under  arrest." 

Mr.  Mitchell,  who  had  given  Mr.  Ladd  a  list  of 
about  twenty  names  of  those  whom  he  knew  to  be  con- 
cerned in  the  projected  outrage,  played  his  part  well, 
and  complained  bitterly  that  the  attorney  had  come  into 
his  shop  "with  fire  in  his  eyes,"  threatening  to  arrest 
him,  when,  to  use  his  own  aggrieved  expression,  he 
"hadn't  done  nothin' ;  only  been  out  with  the  boys  to 
have  a  little  fun."  Mr.  Ladd  made  a  pretense  of  spe- 
cial wrath  against  Mitchell,  as  if  he  considered  him 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIIiNCE  8 1 

the  chief  ringleader  in  the  mischief ;  and  so  clever  was 
the  blind  that  nobody  in  the  gang  suspected  who  had 
given  them  away.  Nor  should  I  now  publish  Mr. 
Mitchell's  name  were  he  not  in  his  grave  and  beyond 
harm  from  any  earthly  power. 

It  should  be  mentioned  that  this  "outrage"  was  in 
both  instances  planned  to  be  accomplished  on  a  lodge- 
meeting  night,  so  that  the  real  instigators  of  the  plot 
could  testify  that  they  were  not  on  the  street,  and  the 
blame — if  blame  there  was — would  fall  on  their  tools, — 
men  who  were  not  Masons.  Lodgemcn  have  a  great 
aversion  to  doing  their  own  dirty  work,  but  there  are 
always  enough  "lewd  fellows  of  the  baser  sort"  outside, 
who  can  be  bribed  or  flattered  into  doing  it ;  and  then, 
should  the  popular  indignation  ever  be  excited,  by  the 
discovery  of  some  deed  of  darkness,  like  grimalkin  in 
the  fable,  it  is  they  who  will  get  the  singeing  while  the 
lodge  goes  free. 

Many  of  the  participants  in  this  afifair  have  already 
gone  to  their  account,  and  I  have  waited  patiently 
through  long  and  weary  years  for  God,  in  his  provi- 
dence, to  bring  these  facts  to  light.  It  must  not  be  sup- 
posed, however,  that  the  whole,  or  even  any  large  pro- 
portion of  the  lodge,  were  concerned  in,  or  even  had 
any  knowledge  of  these  outrageous  proceedings.  In- 
deed, I  have  learned  by  investigation  and  reading — for 
these  experiences  induced  a  desire  to  find  out  all  I 
could  from  accessible  sources  of  information — that  mur- 
der, seduction  and  like  gross  crimes  are  never  plotted 
in  open  lodge  meetings,  but  in  "rings,"  consisting  of 
but  a  few  members,  yet  with  the  whole  lodge  machinery 
back  of  them  to  aid  the  accomplishment  and  shield 
them  from  punishment  if  discovered. 

It  is  stated  in  history  that  Capt.  Morgan's  death  was 
plotted  in  Masonic  rings,  called  "conmiittees,"  com- 
posed of  high  Masons,  who  passed  the  fatal  word  from 
one  to  another,  shielded  by  their  lodge  oaths ;  how  well, 
the  vain  efforts  to  convict  his  murderers  amply  testify. 


82  IN  THE  ENEMIES    LAND. 

The  people  have  little  knowledge  how  the  poor,  and 
especially  defenseless  women,  are  being  persecuted  by 
the  hidden  hand  that  works  in  darkness  to  defile  and 
destroy  those  who,  like  Daniel,  stand  firm  for  the  true 
God,  and  will  bow  to  no  lodge  potentate,  or  share  in 
the  dainties  ofifered  to  Baal.  How  many  such  can  truly 
say,  as  did  the  psalmist:  "My  soul  is  among^  lions. 
.  .  .  deliver  vie  from  the  workers  of  iniquity  and 
save  me  from  bloody  men." — Psalms  17:4-6-7-8-9-12- 

13-15- 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

A  MYSTERIOUS  PAPER. — MANSIONS  IN  THE  SKY. OLIVER 

cooper's  VISION  OF  HELL. 

My  husband's  mind  seemed  all  right  that  summer, 
but  his  bodily  health  was  very  poor.  In  this  more  sane 
condition  his  old  affection  for  me  seemed  to  revive.  He 
grieved  much  at  the  idea  of  my  leaving  him,  and 
seemed  sincerely  penitent  for  the  conduct  which  had 
led  to  such  a  step.  He  begged  me  to  withdraw  my  suit 
for  a  divorce  and  bring  the  children  home,  in  which 
case  he  would  deed  me  the  homestead,  and  never  again 
mention  the  subject  which  had  caused  our  greatest 
trouble. 

Touched  by  his  pleadings,  my  heart  began  to  relent. 
In  his  miserable  physical  condition  it  seemed  almost 
cruelty  to  desert  him,  and  I  began  to  question  seriously 
my  duty  in  this  regard.  God  could  yet  make  our  mar- 
riage, which  vile  men  had  plotted  so  much  to  their  dis- 
satisfaction, work  out  results  to  his  honor  and  glory. 
If  I  stayed  with  my  husband  might  he  not  be  led  to  be- 
come a  Ciiristian?  If  I  left  the  father  of  my  children 
might  it  not  be  to  thwart  the  divine  purpose  for  good  ? 

These  considerations  induced  me  at  last  to  with- 
draw my  suit.  If  the  Lord  would  let  me  live  to  see  the 
father  of  my  children  confess  Qirist  as  his  Saviour, 
I  felt  that  the  sufferings  I  had  endured,  or  those  which 
might  yet  be  in  store  for  me,  should  I  continue  to  live 
with  him,  would  not  be  borne  in  vain. 

It  was  soon  noised  around  that  my  husband  had  of- 
fered me  the  deed  of  our  homestead.  This  item  will 
explain  why  I  was  one  day  surprised  by  a  call  from 

83 


84  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

Mr.  J. — a  Frenchman  and  a  Roman  Catholic  who  lived 
at  the  upper  end  of  the  village. 

He  told  me  that  the  day  before,  while  passing  the  of- 
fice of  Lawyer  Marsh,  a  man  called  him  in  and  offered 
him  five  dollars  if  he  would  drive  to  the  Centre  with  all 
haste  so  as  to  get  a  paper  put  on  record  before  night. 
He  seemed  in  a  great  hurry  and  gave  him  to  under- 
stand that  it  was  not  a  thing  of  which  he  was  to  speak 
to  any  one.  This  naturally  excited  his  suspicions,  the 
more  as  he  happened  to  catch  sight  of  Lewis  Giddings' 
name  on  the  paper ;  for  the  thought  occurred  to  him 
that  possibly  my  husband  had  mortgaged  the  place  be- 
fore deeding  it  to  me. 

He  asked  the  man  what  they  were  going  to  do  with 
Lewis  Giddings  and  was  informed  that  it  was  none  of 
his  business ;  his  business  was  to  drive  him  to  the  Cen- 
tre as  fast  as  he  could.  He  at  first  refused,  not  wishing 
to  go  on  any  such  errand  without  knowing  more  about 
it.  The  answer  was  a  threat  to  get  some  one  else ;  and, 
seeing  that  they  w^ere  bound  to  get  the  paper  on  record, 
he  concluded  that  he  might  as  well  have  the  five  dollars 
as  anybody  else.  So  he  drove  the  man  over  to  the 
Centre,  but  so  sure  was  he  that  there  was  fraud  in  the 
affair  that  he  waited  till  morning  before  telling  me  of 
the  circumstance  for  fear  of  being  watched. 

I  thanked  him  and  went  at  once,  as  he  advised  me,  to 
the  office  of  Lawyer  Marsh,  who  had  made  out  the 
mysterious  paper.  There  I  found,  to  my  consternation, 
that  an  attachment  had  been  put  upon  my  home,  but 
was  comforted  when  the  attorney  assured  me  that  it 
was  not  worth  the  paper  on  which  it  was  written.  As 
I  had  not  left  my  homestead,  I  could  hold  it  against 
this  or  any  other  writ  of  attachment  that  might  be 
served.  So  this  new  device  to  distress  me  came  to 
naught.  My  kind  informant  got  his  five  dollars,  and 
the  lawyer  his  fee  for  drawing  up  the  paper,  so  that  the 
only  loss  was  on  the  side  of  our  would-be  oppressor. 
My  husband  deeded  me  the  place  and  all  thoughts  of 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  8  ^ 

divorce  were  given  up.  A  day  or  two  later  a  tax  col- 
lector walked  in  without  knocking  and  angrily  told  me 
that  several  years'  back  taxes  on  the  property  must  be 
paid  immediately.  "Tell  me  how  much  money  is  due 
and  you  shall  have  it,"  I  replied. 

Stepping  up  close  to  me  he  said  :  "It  is  sixty-five  dol- 
lars, and  1  am  going  to  have  it  now."  "Will  you  allow 
me  to  get  the  amount,  or  shall  I  tell  you  where  the 
money  is  and  permit  you  to  help  yourself?"  I  in- 
quired. With  a  gesture  he  said,  "How  long  will  it 
take  you  to  get  it?" 

I  appeared  not  to  notice  his  rudeness  and  replied, 
"Only  a  moment." 

"I  will  give  you  five  minutes  to  get  the  money," 
said  he. 

Before  the  time  expired  I  handed  him  the  required 
sum.  After  counting  the  money  he  tried  to  apologize 
by  saying  he  would  wait  awhile  for  part  of  it.  I  in- 
sisted that  he  should  keep  the  whole  amount  and  had 
to  manifest  considerable  dignity  before  I  could  get 
him  to  keep  the  money  and  give  me  a  receipt  in  full. 

It  was  with  a  light  heart  that  I  went  to  Burlington 
for  my  children.  After  paying  their  board  I  had 
onlv  money  enough  left  for  our  carfare.  Mrs.  Hickok 
questioned  me  closely  on  this  point,  saying  that  it  was 
a  cold  winter,  and  if  I  took  my  children  I  must  have 
something  for  our  subsistence.  She  then  returned  a 
large  part  of  what  I  had  paid  her,  kindly  adding  that 
the  Home  had  taken  my  children,  not  to  distress  but 
to  help  me,  and  if  I  were  never  able  to  pay  it  back  it 
would  be  all  right. 

My  husband,  in  his  efforts  to  keep  his  family  com- 
fortable, worked  that  winter  beyond  his  strength,  and 
when  spring  came  his  exhausted  condition  of  mind 
and  body  was  so  noticeable  that  I  again  secured  a 
place  in  the  factory. 

But  a  new  sorrow  awaited  me.  I  had  become  in 
some   measure   used   to   the   coldness   of  the   church 


88  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

people.  For  myself  I  did  not  mind  being  treated  with 
indifference  or  even  scorn,  but  when  I  saw  the 
same  feelings  manifested  towards  my  innocent  little 
ones  my  mother's  heart  rose  in  righteous  indignation. 
In  Sunday-school  the  unfriendly  attitude  of  the  other 
children  showed  very  plainly  that  they  had  imbibed  the 
prejudices  of  their  parents,  fostered  by  the  lying  spirit 
of  my  enemies.  Even  in  the  public  schools  their  little 
lives  were  made  bitter  by  a  system  of  petty  insult  and 
persecution ;  little  Anna,  who  was  a  very  sensitive 
child,  being  reduced  to  a  state  of  almost  constant  tears. 

I  was  much  comforted,  however,  at  this  time  of 
trial,  by  the  words  of  Sister  Helen  Marguerite  Fol- 
soni.  This  lady,  who  belonged  to  an  Anglican  sister- 
hood in  New  York,  had  given  several  hundred  dollars 
to  St.  Matthew's  Church,  and  was  taking  her  summer 
vacation  in  Enosburgh.  Being  told  that  she  wanted 
to  get  two  little  girls  to  take  home  with  her  to  New 
York  to  educate,  I  went  to  Mr.  Brewer's,  the  place 
where  she  was  stopping,  thinking  that  I  would  ask  her 
to  take  Anna,  so  that  the  child  need  no  longer  suffer 
thus  cruelly. 

When  I  stated  my  errand,  she  asked  me  very  kindly 
to  explain  my  circumstances.  I  told  her  that  my  sor- 
rows seemed  greater  than  I  could  bear,  but  that  which 
wrung  my  heart  the  deepest  was  to  see  my  children  ill- 
treated  in  church  and  Sunday-school,  and  also  in  the 
district  school.  "I  have  tried  to  serve  the  Lord  since 
I  was  a  child,"  I  groaned,  and  yet  my  life  has  been  a 
failure.  Surely  I  must  have  sinned  in  some  dreadful 
way  to  bring  down  so  much  suffering  on  my  children's 
innocent  heads." 

Sister  Helen  Marguerite  drew  her  chair  close  to 
mine,  and  looking  intently  in  my  face,  asked  me  what 
sin  I  had  committed  for  which  I  could  think  myself 
and  children  forsaken  of  God. 

I  answered  that  I  could  not  tell,  except  that  after 
being  especially  baptized  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  I  be- 


A    PKRSONAL    EXPERIENCE  89 

licvcd,  I  had  fallen  away  from  my  faith  in  Christ. 

She  seemed  much  interested  and  desired  to  hear  the 
story  of  this  experience;  but  I  hesitated  to  relate  it, 
fearing  that  she  would  be  incredulous.  But  she  in- 
sisted so  firmly,  and  yet  kindly,  that  1  could  do  no  less 
than  tell  her  of  the  marvelous  light  I  had  seen  shining 
on  the  sacred  Word,  the  celestial  music  and  the  heav- 
enly voices. 

She  sat  back  in  her  chair,  closed  her  eyes  and  re- 
mained silent  for  some  time.  When  she  again  opened 
them  and  looked  at  me  it  was  to  speak  the  strangest 
and  yet  the  sweetest  words  of  comfort  that  I  ever 
heard. 

"You  are  not  having  this  sorrow  because  the  Lord 
has  forsaken  you,"  she  said,  gently ;  "or  for  any  sin 
you  have  committed." 

"Then  why  do  the  people  of  God  treat  me  in  this 
cruel  way?"  I  asked. 

"The  professed  people  of  God,"  she  said,  with  em- 
j)hasis,  "have  always  persecuted  those  who  were  bet- 
ter than  they.  You  are  persecuted  for  righteousness' 
sake." 

"Surely  no  one  in  this  Christian  land  can  be  perse- 
cuted for  righteousness'  sake?"  I  said,  doubtfully. 

"On  the  contrary,  there  are  a  great  many  who  are 
persecuted  for  that  cause.  And  they  would  be  put  to 
death  now,  as  in  olden  times,  if  the  civil  law  did  not 
protect  them.  I  feel,  in  my  own  mind,  that  you  have 
told  the  truth.  You  are  a  child  of  God's  special  care, 
and  you  dishonor  Him  if  you  think  for  a  moment  that 
He  can  or  will  forsake  you." 

When,  on  leaving,  I  begged  her  again  to  take  nv 
little  girl,  she  gave  me  a  smiling  but  firm  "No." 

"It  would  be  a  sin  for  me  to  take  the  child  from 
such  a  mother  as  you.  I  must  take  children  who  have 
no  parents  capable  of  bringing  them  up.  The  Lord 
has  marked  out  a  way  for  yourself  and  children,  and 
I  must  not  take  the  w'ork  out  of  His  hands.     Take 


90  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

heart.  Your  children  will  fill  the  places  God  designed 
for  them.  Give  yourself  no  uneasiness  for  their  fu- 
ture. You  have  a  divine  Care-taker,  who  will  cer- 
tainly provide." 

After  a  time,  feeling  righteously  indignant  at  the 
way  my  children  were  treated,  I  took  them  out  of  Sun- 
day-school and  left  the  church,  feeling  that  my  act 
was  justified  by  the  command  in  Revelations  18:4: 
"Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partaker  of 
her  sins."  This  called  down  upon  me  the  condemna- 
tion of  the  church  members.  Detraction  and  slander 
pierced  me  like  the  tongues  of  venomous  serpents.  I 
wandered  indeed  in  the  Enemy's  Land,  among  stran- 
gers to  all  righteousness,  my  sorrow  unrelieved  by 
any  word  of  sympathy. 

Yet  the  trials  through  which  I  passed,  though  they 
seemed  at  times  unendurable,  failed  to  make  me  the 
sober,  long-faced  Christian  which  I  longed  to  be.  For 
I  supposed  that  laughter  and  jesting  were  incompat- 
ible with  a  perfect  life.  By  nature  I  was  mirthful  and 
quick  to  see  the  ludicrous  side  of  things.  There  were 
times  when  I  wept  bitterly  over  the  strange  conduct  of 
the  church  people,  but  often  it  took  some  amusing 
phase,  so  that  I  could  even  laugh  over  it.  Few  could 
get  ahead  of  me  in  a  joke.  In  fact,  idle  words  were 
my  besetting  sin,  and  this  I  realized  so  keenly  that 
tears  often  filled  my  eyes  when  I  thought  of  having 
to  give  account  of  all  my  idle  words  before  the  great 
Judge. 

For  several  days  I  had  been  unusually  burdened 
on  the  account  of  my  own  unworthiness ;  and,  one 
night,  when  my  husband  had  gone  to  lodge-meeting  1 
fell  asleep  weeping  and  praying  that  at  least  my  little 
Sarah  might  be  kept  free  from  sin  and  stand  spotless 
on  the  Day  of  Judgment. 

The  dream  which  followed  I  shall  always  remem- 
ber, and  believing  it  can  do  no  harm  to  any,  and  per- 
haps be  a  comfort  to  some,  I  will  here  relate  it. 


SARAH  GIDDINGS. 


A  I'ERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  93 

A  shadowy  arm  and  hand  seemed  to  rise  by  my 
side.  I  looked  at  it  in  dazed  wonder,  when  I  heard  a 
voice  say,  "Behold  the  mansions  Christ  has  prepared 
for  you." 

I  looked  where  the  hand  pointed  and  saw  two  man- 
sions standing  side  by  side,  one  white,  the  other  of 
gray  stone,  surmounted  by  spires  of  great  height.  The 
voice  spoke  again :  "They  will  be  like  a  school.  You 
will  be  taught  what  to  do.  Let  not  doubt  disturb 
you." 

As  I  continued  to  gaze,  the  sky  seemed  formed  of 
huge  rocks,  which  projected  over  the  mansions  that 
were  "many,"  and  stood  in  pairs,  side  by  side;  one  was 
white,  the  other  was  stone,  in  the  east,  west,  north  and 
south,  so  that  I  could  see  no  way  to  pass  from  one  to 
the  other. 

As  I  was  viewing  this  strange  sight  I  beheld  two 
mansions  of  greater  size,  which  stood  far  above  all 
the  rest,  their  towering  spires  seeming  to  project  be- 
tween an  opening  in  the  rocks  where,  far  away  and 
apparently  at  an  immense  height,  I  saw  a  speck  of 
blue  sky.  I  then  became  aware  that  what  I  at  first 
thought  was  the  sky  turned  to  rocks  was  only  an  en- 
closure of  rock.  I  looked  from  the  mansions  the  hand 
first  pointed  out  to  me ;  and,  as  my  eyes  measured  the 
long  distance  to  the  two  which  stood  side  by  side  so  far 
above  the  others,  I  thought  to  myself  that,  in  time,  I 
could  make  the  long  journey  and  be  in  Heaven. 

"Thank  God !"  I  gasped,  "I  shall  reach  Heaven  at 
last !" 

"Not  Heaven,"  replied  the  voice,  "but  the  last  man- 
sion you  will  pass  through.  Do  not  fear.  Your  ac- 
count will  be  made  out  there.  Christ  himself  will 
place  it  in  your  hand.  Immediately  after  you  will 
stand  before  the  great  Judge,  and  answer  all  ques- 
tions at  his  command." 

I  awoke,  to  find  it  was  a  dream,  yet  my  heart  was 
filled  with  peace,  and  since  then  I  have  never  grieved 


94  IN    THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

or  been  anxious  to  know  what  I  shall  answer  the 
Judge  when  I  stand  before  him  at  the  last  great  Day. 
I  shall  owe  nothing  to  the  law,  but  be  like  a  debtor 
who  can  show  his  account  fully  canceled. 

One  day,  while  canvassing,  I  took  dinner  at  the 
home  of  Oliver  Cooper.  In  the  course  of  conversation 
I  remarked  that  I  never  had  but  one  dream  worth  the 
telling,  yet  that  one  had  greatly  comforted  me  and 
strengthened  my  faith. 

At  their  request  I  related  my  dream.  When  I  had 
finished,  Mrs.  Cooper  asked  her  husband  to  relate  a 
dream  he  once  had.  He  was  much  agitated  at  re- 
calling it,  and  said  it  was  no  dream.  He  had  seen  the 
hell,  or  place  of  torture,  where  drunkards  go  after 
death.  They  seemed  to  be  confined  in  places  like 
stalls,  heated,  as  an  oven,  by  unseen  fires.  Impris- 
oned within  these  walls  of  heated  rock,  the  wicked 
suffered  according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body. 
Among  them  he  saw  and  recognized  people  he  had 
known.  There  were  different  degrees  of  heat.  Sorne 
appeared  to  suffer  but  little,  while  others  writhed  in 
the  extreme  of  agony.  This  frightful  vision  so  ap- 
palled him,  even  in  the  recollection,  that  the  thought 
of  it,  he  averred,  would  send  cold  chills  over  him  in 
the  hottest  weather.  He  then  told  his  wife  to  relate 
the  rest,  and  her  story  added  new  interest  to  the  ac- 
count. 

He  had  been  drinking,  and  was  so  intoxicated  that 
two  of  his  companions  had  to  help  him  into  the  house 
and  on  to  the  bed.  As  the  dinner  was  ready  she  in- 
vited them  to  sit  down  and  eat.  In  a  few  moments, 
to  their  great  amazement,  her  husband  came  out  of 
the  bedroom  nearly  frightened  to  death,  but  perfectly 
sober,  and  told  them  what  he  had  seen. 

The  next  night  he  went  to  a  Methodist  meeting  at 
the  school-house,  where  he  related  his  strange  vision, 
and  was  converted.  For  several  years  he  lived  a  sober, 
Christian  life,  but  for  a  year  or  two,  I  regret  to  say. 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  95 

had  fallen  into  his  old  habits.  However,  he  was  never 
so  hard  a  drinker  as  before  this  remarkable  dream,  or 
vision,  which,  in  spite  of  frequent  relapses,  continued 
to  have  a  stron^^  influence  upon  him  while  he  lived. 

Twenty  years  after  I  related  those  dreams  to  a 
friend,  Airs.  Garcia  Eldred,  who  inquired  if  I  had  ever 
read  the  works  of  Swedenborg.  I  had  never  even 
heard  of  him,  but  when  she  brought  out  one  of  his 
books  I  found,  to  my  surprise,  a  description  of  a  sim- 
ilar vision  of  the  other  world,  in  which  he  also  bore 
witness  to  seeing  a  place  enclosed  in  rock,  the  first 
abode  of  the  spirit  after  passing  out  of  this  life.  As 
Swedenborg  lived  and  wrote  two  hundred  years  ago, 
this  seemed  to  me,  to  say  the  least,  a  very  singular  coin- 
cidence. 

I  relate  these  dreams,  or  visions,  hoping  that  some 
may  be  impressed  for  good  by  the  recital,  but  cannot 
forbear  a  word  of  warning.  I  do  not  wish  the  reader 
to  suppose  for  an  instant  that  I  would  advise  any  un- 
lawful prying  into  the  things  of  the  other  world,  as  in 
this  way  I  have  known  many  to  be  led  astray  as  well 
as  myself  in  times  past.  My  opinion  is  that  it  is  al- 
ways better  to  wait  patiently  on  the  Lord  for  what- 
ever he  may  choose  to  reveal  and  be  satisfied  to  lean 
on  that  "sure  word"  of  Scripture  which  can  make  us 
wise  unto  eternal  life. 

John  20:29-30-31. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE   ONLY   HEIR — UNLAWFUL   PROCEEDINGS. 

Before  my  husband  gave  me  the  deed  of  our  place, 
and  after  the  death  of  his  parents,  who  had  meanwhile 
died  leaving  him  heir  to  half  an  acre  of  land  and  a 
small  house,  a  man  who  lived  in  the  village  met  me  on 
the  street  one  day  and  told  me  that  he  had  bought  the 
old  place ;  the  papers  were  at  that  moment  being  made 
out  by  a  justice  of  the  peace. 

In  much  surprise  I  hastened  home  and  asked  my 
husband  if  he  had  indeed  sold  his  father's  estate.  "Not 
that  I  know  of,"  he  answered,  but  finally  he  said,  after 
a  moment's  thought,  that  some  months  before  he  met 
Dr.  A.,  who  told  him  he  wanted  his  signature  to  a 
paper.  He  followed  him  into  the  office  of  the  justice, 
and  the  doctor  laying  his  finger  on  a  certain  line  in  the 
paper  told  him  to  "sign  there."  "I  turned  the  paper 
over  to  see  what  it  was  he  wanted  me  to  sign,  and 
saw  'Mortgage'  written  in  large  letters  at  the  top.  The 
doctor  snatched  the  paper  and  told  me  I  was  not  there 
to  read  the  document,  but  to  witness  it,  and  com- 
manded me  again  to  sign  my  name.  He  spoke  so  per- 
emptorily that  I  wrote  my  signature.  He  then  told 
me  to  remember  that  I  had  signed  such  a  paper,  and  I 
answered  that  I  should  not  be  very  apt  to  forget  sign- 
ing it,  for  it  might  be,  for  aught  I  knew,  my  death  war- 
rant." 

On  hearing  my  husband's  story  I  went  directly  to 
Lawyer  Fields,  to  see  what  could  be  done.  He  said 
the  first  step  was  to  get  the  paper  from  the  doctor  and 
find  out  what  the  document  really  was  that  my  hus- 
band had  been  made  to  sign. 

96 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  97 

Dr.  A.  claimed  that  my  husband  had  sold  him  the 
place,  but  gave  up  the  paper  with  the  remark  that  I 
was  powerless  to  do  anything  about  it,  as  the  prop- 
erty was  his. 

The  lawyer  looked  at  the  paper  and  then  said  with 
a  laugh,  "This  has  been  made  out  according  to  Canada 
law.  It  is  a  mortgage,  bill  of  sale  and  deed,  all  three 
combined ;  but,  according  to  \'ermont  law,  it  only 
amounts  to  a  mortgage." 

The  document  was  dated  at  the  time  my  children 
were  in  the  Burlington  Home,  and  was  to  satisfy  a 
claim  of  fifty-eight  dollars,  the  house  and  land  to  be- 
come the  doctor's  if  the  money  was  not  paid  within  a 
year.  As  Dr.  A.  did  not  allow  my  husband  to  read 
the  paper,  the  latter  supposed  that  he  wrote  his  name 
merely  as  a  witness.  Consequently,  at  the  end  of  the 
year,  the  doctor  calculated  that  he  could  enter  at 
once  into  possession  of  the  little  inheritance  left  my 
husband  by  his  father. 

As  the  land  alone  was  worth  one  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  at  that  time  it  will  be  seen  that  a  brother  Mason 
expected  to  get  double  and  treble  of  the  sum  actually 
owing  to  him.  Lawyer  Fields,  however,  told  me  to 
give  myself  no  uneasiness  ;  that,  as  this  place  joined 
my  own  home,  of  which  I  held  the  deeds,  and  the  lat- 
ter was  valued  below  five  hundred  dollars,  I  could 
keep  both  pieces  of  property  under  the  terms  of  the 
Homestead  Act. 

I  felt  that  the  doctor  had  forfeited  all  right  to  the 
money  by  thus  taking  advantage  of  my  sick  husband's 
condition,  especially  as  Lawyer  Fields  assured  me  that 
it  could  never  be  collected,  the  transaction  being  so 
plainlv  illegal.  It  therefore  remained  unpaid  till  some 
years  later,  when  Dr.  B.  J.  Kendall,  a  cousin  of  my 
husband,  who  was  a  man  of  means,  and  had  been  very 
kind  to  us.  being  about  to  move  from  the  place,  and 
fearing  we  might  some  time  be  made  trouble,  called 
on  the  doctor,  settled  all  claims  up  to  October,  1883, 


98  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

and  gave  my  husband  the  receipt,  telHng  him  to  "be 
sure  and  take  good  care  of  it." 

A  year  or  two  after  my  husband  and  son  worked 
all  summer  for  this  same  doctor.  In  the  fall,  when 
Mr.  Giddings  came  to  settle  up,  the  doctor  told  him 
that  he  had  turned  the  wages  of  both  on  this  old  ac- 
count. He  had  a  receipt,  "paid  in  full,"  all  ready, 
and  bade  my  husband  sign  it  as  peremptorily  as  on  the 
former  occasion.  And  again  he  did  so,  cowed  as  be- 
fore by  the  doctor's  manner.  But  he  had  enough  san- 
ity remaining  to  be  conscious  after  it  was  done  that 
he  had  been  wronged,  for  he  came  home  much  ex- 
cited, saying  he  and  Howard  had  lost  all  their  sum- 
mer's work. 

I  went  with  him  to  the  doctor's  office  to  see  what 
could  be  done  about  it. 

"Doctor!"  I  exclaimed,  as  soon  as  I  entered  the  of- 
fice, "it  won't  do  for  you  and  others  to  take  advantage 
of  my  son  as  you  have  of  his  poor  sick  father.  You 
must  at  least  pay  my  son  for  his  work,  or  I  shall  enter 
complaint  to  an  attorney." 

"Mrs.  Giddings,"  he  answered,  "I  am  not  surprised 
that  you  should  feel  bad  about  this.  I  am  very  sorry 
for  you,  but  I  have  waited  on  Lewis  for  years ;  and 
you  surely  could  not  expect  me  to  pay  him  money 
when  he  is  owing  me.  We  have  settled,  and  all  is 
satisfactory  between  us.  He  was  willing  to  turn  How- 
ard's wages,  and  here  is  the  receipt  signed  in  full. 
You  see  you  can  do  nothing  about  it.  Your  husband  is 
guardian  of  his  children  and  can  do  as  he  pleases  with 
their  wages." 

I  allowed  the  doctor  to  expatiate  a  while  on  his  own 
patience  in  waiting  so  long,  and  how  everything  was 
perfectly  satisfactory  between  him  and  my  husband. 
Then  I  said,  quietly,  "If  this  old  account  has  not  been 
paid  Dr.  Kendall  must  have  forged  your  name.  Would 
you  know  your  own  signature  if  you  should  see  it?" 

"Certainly,"    he   answered,    looking   a   trifle    ill   at 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  99 

ease.  When  1  produced  the  receipt  he  assumed  an  air 
as  if  greatly  delighted  to  find  that  the  bill  was  paid, 
and  said  he  now  remembered  l)eing  in  a  great  hurry 
at  the  time  Dr.  Kendall  paid  him  the  money,  so  that 
he  forgot  to  cross  it  off  his  books.  He  complimented 
me  greatly  on  being  such  a  business  woman,  and  as- 
sured me  over  and  over  again  that  he  would  rather 
pay  a  hundred  dollars  than  wrong  my  husband  and 
son  out  of  their  just  dues. 

Though  the  former  was  no  longer  subject  to  the 
violent  spells  of  which  I  have  given  some  account, 
he  was  insane  all  the  next  summer ;  but  his  mental 
disorder  took  another  form.  He  would  keep  himself 
hidden  all  day  up  stairs  to  emerge  about  dark  from 
his  retreat,  look  about  him  for  a  moment  in  a  wild, 
startled  way,  and  then  go  off  over  the  fields,  to  spend 
the  night  in  what  wild,  aimless  wanderings  I  never 
knew.  At  daybreak  he  would  reappear,  enter  his 
hiding-place  once  more,  and  remain  invisible  until 
the  shadows  again  fell. 

I  knew  that  he  was  entitled  to  a  pension,  as  his 
mental  disability  was  incurred  while  in  the  army.  So, 
a  few  weeks  before  the  birth  of  my  fifth  child,  I  called 
on  our  family  doctor,  stated  my  husband's  condition, 
and  asked  his  help  in  procuring  a  pension. 

The  doctor  looked  at  me  a  moment  as  if  in  kind 

pity. 

"Mrs.  Giddings,"  he  said,  "  I  am  very  sorry  for  you, 

and  would  be  glad  to  help  you  if  you  would  allow. 

But  you  will  not.     We  have  offered  to  help  you,  and 

.you  have  refused.     You  would  refuse  again  just  as 

you  did  before." 

"No  one  has  offered  me  help." 

"Yes,  there  has.  You  have  had  the  offer  of  as  nice 
a  home  as  there  is  in  town,  and  all  the  money  you 
want,  but  you  prefer  working  as  you  do  to  accepting 
our  kindness  and  support." 

These  remarks  fairly  took  away  my  breath,  for  now 


lOO  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

I  knew  that  the  doctor  must  be  aware  of  the  vile  of- 
fers made  me  by  Mr.  S. 

"You  surely  would  not  expect  me  to  live  a  wicked 
life  for  a  nice  home?"  I  gasped,  looking  with  tear- 
filled  eyes  into  his  deceitful  face. 

"I  haven't  asked  help  of  any  person  only  of  you  as 
a  physician,  to  help  me  bring  the  true  state  of  my  hus- 
band's health  before  the  government." 

"You  surely  cannot  expect  me  to  do  that,  and  get 
your  husband  a  pension,  which  every  one  knows  he  is 
entitled  to,  unless  you  will  show  some  respect  to  my 
opinions  and  those'  of  others.  Now  I  ask  you  once 
again :  Will  you  accept  our  kindness,  a  nice  home, 
and  all  the  money  you  want,  on  the  same  conditions 
you  have  refused  before?" 

"I  can  never  consent  to  live  a  vile  life  or  keep  a 
wicked  house,"  I  answered. 

With  a  heavy  heart  I  sought  the  office  of  another 
doctor  in  the  place.  He  also  was  a  Mason.  I  told  him 
the  same  facts  which  I  had  related  to  his  brother  phy- 
sician, and  begged  him  to  come  down  and  see  my  hus- 
band, so  he  could  give  him  a  certificate  of  his  condition, 
and  thus  aid  me  in  securing  a  pension. 

"Certainly,"  answered  the  doctor.  "Everybody 
knows  he  is  entitled  to  one."  ' 

So  saying,  he  turned  around  to  his  table,  drew 
some  paper  toward  him  and  took  up  his  pen  as  if  to 
write. 

"Now  we  must  be  very  careful  about  the  evidence 
and  have  everything  correct,"  he  said.  "You  must 
answer  under  oath  all  questions  required  by  the  gov- 
ernment. The  first  question  is :  Have  you  any  means 
of  support  aside  from  yours  and  your  husband's  labor?" 

"No,  sir,"  I  replied. 

He  explained  again  that  I  would  have  to  make  a 
sworn  statement,  and  must  be  very  careful  of  what  I 
said. 

After  a  moment's  pause,   during  which  he  looked 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  lOI 

and  acted  as  if  he  thought  I  had  told  him  a  falsehood, 
he  repeated  his  question  for  a  third  time,  and  told  me 
of  the  penalty  (fine  and  imprisonment)  for  taking  a 
false  oath. 

"You  must  know  I  have  no  means  of  support  other 
than  my  own  labor,"  I  said. 

"I  do  not  know  that,"  he  replied,  still  in  the  kindest 
tone.  "You  may  have  been  offered  means  of  support 
and  refused.  Jn  that  case  your  husband  cannot  get  a 
pension.  The  government  is  not  going  to  pension  a 
man  and  his  family  whose  wife  has  means  of  support." 

Womanlike,  I  burst  into  tears.  At  this  he  began  to 
talk  very  sympathizingly.  Pie  did  not  consider  the 
laws  right  in  all  respects,  but  the  government  had  too 
much  business  on  its  hands  to  inquire  into  the  details 
of  every  case.  The  question  was,  Had  I,  or  had  I 
not,  been  offered  means  of  support  aside  from  my  own 
labor? 

"The  government  would  surely  not  desire  me  to 
accept  a  wicked  life  to  support  my  family,"  I  said, 
for  he  spoke  too  plainly  now  for  me  to  mistake  his 
meaning. 

I  was  well-nigh  dumfounded  to  hear  him  reply, 
in  almost  the  identical  language  of  his  Masonic  col- 
league, that  "there  was  a  difference  of  opinion  in 
regard  to  right  and  wrong."  He  told  me  again  that 
if  I  should  swear  that  I  had  no  means  of  support, 
having  had  support  offered  me  and  refused.  I  should 
be  imprisoned  for  taking  a  false  oath  and  defrauding 
the  government.  He  drew  a  graphic  picture  of  the 
distress  of  my  young  family,  if  their  mother  had  to 
go  to  jail.  The  government  would  certainly  send 
its  detectives  round,  and  I  should  be  found  out.  Yet 
all  the  time  he  was  expressing  the  greatest  sympathy, 
and  his  manners  were  of  the  suavest  and  gentlest. 
This  art  is  one  that  is  understood  to  perfection  by 
the  true  Freemason.  Others  of  a  lower  degree  may 
be  rough  in  manner  and  rude  of  speech,  but  the  ini- 


I02  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

tiate  who  has  attained  the  true  secret  of  Masonry 
has  all  the  polish  of  a  thorough-going  Jesuit,  the 
same  talent  at  sophistry,  the  same  plausible  way  of 
making  it  appear  that  "the  end  justifies  the  means." 

This  may  shed  some  light  on  the  much-talked-of 
"pension  frauds."  Who  can  say  how  many  families 
of  poor  and  sick  soldiers  have  had  their  necessities 
thus  cruelly  taken  advantage  of,  and  to  secure  means 
to  live  have  sold  themselves  at  the  demand  of  the 
Secret  Empire?  The  law  passed  to  pension  men 
who  never  did  the  government  any  service  was  not 
passed  out  of  kind  regard  to  the  men  themselves,  but 
in  this  way  a  larger  number  have  been  brought  upon 
the  pension  roll  from  which  Masonry  can  choose  its 
favorites  or  its  victims.  Men  are  pensioned  who  never 
participated  in  even  a  skirmish,  while  others  are  kept 
out,  for  no  reasonable  cause,  who  were  in  the  hard- 
fought  battles  of  the  Civil  War.  I  heard  one  man  say 
that  he  enlisted  and  got  a  large  bounty.  The  war 
closed  before  he  had  the  chance  to  be  in  a  single  en- 
gagement, and,  according  to  his  own  statement,  the 
time  he  passed  in  the  service  was  "a  regular  picnic." 
He  had  a  large  family  of  healthy  children  and  grand- 
children, yet  he  drew  a  pension  of  twelve  dollars  a 
month  for  years.  I  have  known  of  a  soldier  in  the 
same  town  who  received  but  fourteen  dollars  a  month, 
and  (lied  of  disease  contracted  in  the  army,  yet  have 
never  heard  of  a  single  instance  in  which  a  pension 
detective  troubled  himself  to  look  up  these  cases  of 
wrong  practised  upon  poor,  disabled  soldiers  and  their 
families,  however  flagrant  and  well  known. 

We  struggled  on  in  our  poverty  till  about  the  year 
1880,  when  I  made  another  application  for  a  pension, 
paying  to  the  attorney  who  wrote  for  me  to  Washing- 
ton, one  dollar,  the  pay  received  for  doing  two  large 
washings.  I  soon  received  a  letter  from  Charles  E. 
Farman,  pension  attorney,  making  inquiries  about 
my  husband's  condition.     This   I  answered  at  once, 


A    PERSONAL    KXPERlKNCIi  I03 

giving  full  parliculars  of  his  case.  Unfortunately  the 
attorney's  next  letter  fell  into  my  husband's  hands, 
who  took  it  himself  from  the  postoffice. 

'•Von  have  applied  for  a  pension?"  he  said  as  he 
entered  the  house. 

"Yes,"  I  answered,  with  a  glance  at  the  large  yellow 
envelope  which   I   knew  must  contain  the  attorney's 

"On  the  ground  of  my  being  insane?" 

"Yes." 
*   He  did  not  seem  angry,  but  greatly  agitated,  and 
after   saying,    "My    God !"    several    times,    asked    me 
if  1  realized  the  consequences. 

"Yes,  and  the  government  owes  you  a  large  amount 
of  money  which  ought  to  keep  you  and  your  family 
comfortable.  These  attacks  that  you  have  are  insane 
spells.  You  are  certainly  entitled  to  a  large  pension, 
with  arrears  of  pay,  and  on  that  ground." 

"I  think  I  had  better  answer  the  letter  myself,"  he 
said.  , 

The  next  day,  when  I  came  home  from  church,  he 
was  writing  to  the  attorney.  He  read  the  letter  aloud 
to  me.  It  was  very  nicely  worded,  and  certainly  con- 
tained nothing  to  disprove  his  statement  that  I  was  in 
error  in  attributing  his  disabled  condition  to  insanity. 
He  "was  not  insane,"  he  wrote,  "but  very  nervous." 

There  were  some  papers  made  out,  but  when  the 
attorney  called  for  an  examination,  which  he  did  two 
or  three  times,  my  husbantl  persistently  refused,  fear- 
ing, no  doubt,  that  if  pronounced  insane  he  would  be 
put  in  an  asylum.  On  this  account  the  pension  busi- 
ness was  dropped  until  1883  or  1884,  when  our  condi- 
tion was  again  so  distressed,  and  several  years  having 
elapsed  since  I  was  offered  the  questionable  support 
of  the  lodge,  I  concluded  to  try  the  same  Dr.  R.,  who 
would  so  gladly  have  aided  me,  had  not  my  inability 
to  swear  that  no  support  liad  been  offered  me  proved 
such  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way. 


104  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

I  informed  him  that  I  had  already  appHed  for  a 
pension  on  the  ground  of  my  husband's  insanity,  and 
again  requested  him  to  make  out  a  medical  certificate 
of  his  condition. 

Dr.  R.  then  explained  that  it  would  take  a  great  deal 
of  money  to  procure  a  pension;  which,  in  my  circum- 
stances, I  could  not  afford.  He  ended  by  inquiring 
the  ages  of  my  children,  and  especially  of  my  eldest 
daughter. 

I  told  him,  "fifteen." 

He  then  asked  me  several  questions,  and,  among 
others,  "if  she  was  a  well-developed  w^oman." 

As  this  seemed  to  me  an  improper  question,  and 
utterly  irrelevant  to  the  business  I  had  come  on,  I 
hesitated  in  answering.  Seeing  this,  he  explained  that 
he  only  wished  to  inquire  whether  she  was  healthy, 
like  myself,  or  if  she  inherited  her  father's  nervous 
disability.  He  then  advised  me  not  to  do  any  thing 
more  about  securing  a  pension,  as  it  would  take  so 
much  money  I  should  only  distress  my  family.  He 
encouraged  me  by  saying,  in  a  very  kind  and  fatherly 
way,  that  my  children  were  getting  large  and  would 
soon  be  able  to  help  me  more. 

A  few  nights  after,  my  husband  came  home  and 
told  me  he  had  been  made  a  grand  offer.  On  certain 
conditions  one  of  his  brother  Masons  would  settle 
quite  a  large  sum  of  money  upon  our  daughter  as 
long  as  she  lived. 

I  will  mention  here  that  she  was  not  a  strong  e:irl 
but  since  the  age  of  fourteen  she  had  been  obliged 
on  account  of  our  poverty,  to  work  in  the  pul)lishing 
department  of  a  patent  medicine  company  in  the  place. 

For  several  weeks  he  urged  me  to  consent  to  this 
shameful  demand,  and  when  he  found  that  T  repelled 
it  with  all  the  horror  natural  to  a  mother,  he  relapsed 
into  such  a  state  of  chronic  ill-will  that,  for  the  two 
following  years  during  which  I  remained  his  wife, 
he  never  spoke  to  me  a  kind  word. 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  I05 

It  was  several  montlis  before  our  daughter  was 
aware  of  what  caused  the  trouble  between  us,  and  then 
it  was  her  father  who  revealed  it  in  one  of  his  fits  of 
insane  anger.  Her  grief  and  horror  when  she  dis- 
covered the  terrible  truth  can  only  be  faintly  imagined. 
She  wept  so  incessantly  that  her  companions  at  the 
place  wdiere  she  was  employed  were  obliged  to  aid  her 
in  order  that  she  might  keep  up  her  share  of  work  and 
not  lose  her  situation. 

One  thing  I  considered  very  strange.  The  Mason 
my  husband  claimed  was  the  one  who  had  demanded 
our  daughter  she  assured  me  never  took  any  notice 
of  her  beyond  the  most  ordinary  civilities.  "If  you 
ever  learn  the  truth,  mother,"  she  often  said  between 
her  sobs,  "you  will  find  out  old  Dr.  R.  is  the  guilty 
man." 

Such  a  terrible  accusation  against  one  of  the  lead- 
ing lights  of  the  church  must  not  be  allowed.  I  told 
her  that  she  had  misjudged  Dr.  R.'s  kindness,  and 
forbade  her  ever  again  accusing  him.  L^or  I  firmly 
believed  what  my  husband  had  told  me  regarding  the 
guilty  one  whose  name  was  often  mentioned,  and 
struggled  continually  against  the  hatred  which  the 
very  mention  of  his  name  inspired  in  my  heart. 

Through  all  this  dreadful  trouble  I  continued  to 
trust  in  the  Lord,  hoping  that  some  way  would  be 
provided  so  that  I  should  not  be  obliged  to  break  up 
my  family  by  getting  a  divorce,  for  I  still  hoped  that 
the  day  might  come  when  my  prayer  would  be  heard, 
and  my  husband  restored  to  soundness  of  mind  and 
become  a  Christian. 

But  there  came  at  last  a  crisis  in  our  afifairs,  when 
duty  to  my  child  demanded  that  I  no  longer  hesitate. 

My  husband  came  home  late  one  evening  and  angrily 
told  me  that  "there  was  to  be  no  more  fooling;  I  must 
conform  to  his  wishes." 

I  comprehended  but  one  thing  in  the  horror  and 
agony  of  that  moment ;  that  what   I  did,   I  must   do 


I06  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

quickly.  I  wrote  a  letter  to  Hon.  Judge  Royce,  of  St. 
Albans,  and  also  addressed  a  letter  to  the  State's  At- 
torney, supposing  that  he  lived  in  that  city,  or,  if  not, 
that  it  would  be  forwarded.  I  received  a  letter  by 
return  mail  from  Judge  Royce,  saying  that  I  could 
see  him  in  his  office  at  any  time  I  chose  to  come  to  St. 
Albans.  I  also  received  a  letter  from  Attorney  Ball, 
stating  that  he  would  be  at  the  American  House  the 
next  day. 

I  went  to  St.  Albans  and  entered  complaint  against 
my  husband  to  Judge  Royce.  He  sat  for  a  few  mo- 
ments in  deep  thought.  "These  men,"  he  finally  said, 
"understand  a  private  law  known  only  to  a  few,  and 
this  they  are  trying  to  enforce.  I  am  afraid  they  may 
use  violence,  as  there  is  no  law  for  your  daughter's 
protection." 

"Is  it  possible,"  I  cried,  "that  there  is  really  a  law 
in  Vermont  which  allows  such  a  crime  to  be  com- 
mitted?" 

He  assented  with  a  nod  of  his  head. 

"Then  lock  me  up  in  jail,  or  where  else  you  please," 
I  exclaimed,  passionately;  "for  if  you  don't  I  shall 
surely  kill  the  father  of  my  children.  Yet  I  have  tried 
to  serve  the  Lord  from  a  little  child,  and  it  is  strange, 
after  giving  me  so  many  proofs  of  his  love,  that  he 
should  allow  me  to  be  driven  to  such  a  terrible  crime." 

I  then  told  him  my  story ;  the  plot  by  which  my  mar- 
riage had  been  consummated,  the  threat  of  my  hus- 
band's brother  Mason  to  ruin  me  and  my  family,  and 
how  lodgemen  were  now  taking  advantage  of  my  hus- 
band's enfeebled  mind. 

Judge  Royce  heard  me  through  in  silence.  He  was 
a  man  whose  legal  training  forbade  his  speaking  from 
impulse,  or  without  due  reflection. 

"I  have  never  known  of  a  woman  consenting  to 
such  a  life  after  she  was  eighteen,"  he  finally  said. 
"They  have  to  get  possession  of  them  before  that  age. 
The  law  is  all  wrong,  but  there  are  so  few  of  us  op- 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  I07 

posed  that  we  have  very  hard  work  to  get  anything 
clone  right  in  the  Legislature.  The  other  party  seems 
to  be  growing  stronger  all  the  time.  You  can  get  no 
divorce  on  the  complaint  you  have  brought,  terrible 
as  it  is.  By  Vermont  law,  as  it  now  stands,  her  father 
is  the  guardian  of  your  daughter,  anrl  can  dispose  of 
her  as  he  likes.  The  law  does  not  a.sk  the  mother's 
consent ;  and  so,  for  this  reason,  you  cannot  enter 
suit  in  court  on  such  grounds." 

I  was  silent.  It  seemed  as  if  fate  was  closing  hope- 
lessly about  me,  hedging  me  in  on  every  side,  and 
leaving  no  avenue  of  escape ;  for  was  not  Judge  Royce 
telling  me  the  same  thing  that  Attorney  Ladd  had  told 
me  years  before? 

"No  one  can  blame  you,"  continued  Judge  Royce. 
"You  can  kill  your  husband  or  any  man  who  attempts 
to  enter  your  house  for  such  a  purpose,  and  I  will 
clear  you  by  making  it  a  case  of  self-defense.  In  fact, 
on  the  day  that  private  law  was  passed,  wdiich  these 
men  are  now  trying  to  enforce,  we  came  near  having 
a  fight  in  the  Legislature.  We  who  opposed  it  told 
the  other  side,  when  they  succeeded  in  passing  the  bill, 
that,  should  any  attempt  ever  be  made  to  enforce  it, 
there  would  be  bloodshed.  However,  on  thinking  this 
over,  I  should  advise,  as  the  better  way,  that  you 
change  the  ground  of  complaint  to  one  of  abuse,  for 
surely  there  could  be  no  greater  case  of  abuse,  and 
any  court  in  the  land  will  sustain  you  in  your  suit 
for  a  divorce." 

He  advised  me  to  enter  my  complaint  to  the  State's 
Attorney.  I  said  I  had  already  written  to  him,  and 
was  now  going  to  meet  him  by  appointment  at  the 
American  House. 

Our  interview  then  terminated,  and  I  went  to  see 
Mr.  Ball,  but  at  the  close  of  our  conversation  I  was 
surprised  to  learn  that  this  gentleman,  though  he  was 
State's  Attorney  a  few  years  before,  did  not  now 
hold  that  office.    This,  of  course,  prevented  mine  from 


I08  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND, 

becoming  a  State  case.  I  never  understood  how  he, 
a  private  attorney,  came  in  possession  of  my  letter,  or 
took  up  what  was  only  intended  to  be  a  State  case. 

He  told  me  at  what  time  to  go  to  his  office  in  the 
courthouse,  informing  me  that  he  had  a  partner  who 
would  attend  to  my  case.  My  daughter  and  I  both 
went  to  the  courthouse,  saw  his  partner,  and  entered 
our  complaint.  When  I  found  that  both  men  were 
Masons  I  hesitated  about  trusting  my  case  in  their 
hands,  and  told  him  the  reason.  He  assured  me  that 
I  was  mistaken  in  attributing  the  sins  of  a  few  bad 
men  to  the  whole  order;  that  the  Freemasons  would 
never  uphold  my  husband  in  abusing  his  wife  and 
children,  but  that  their  obligations  extended  to  me 
and  my  family.  They  would  see  that  right  was  done 
by  me. 

He  was  very  polite,  and  seemed  to  take  such  an 
interest  in  my  case  that  I  began  once  more  to  think 
I  had  been  lacking  in  charity.  It  thus  happened  that 
my  case  was  tried  in  private  court,  and  it  is  with 
great  reluctance  that  I  now  uncover  the  past.  This 
duty  I  owe  to  God  and  my  fellow-beings  to  expose 
this  wicked  system,  and  the  vile  laws  under  which  it 
seeks  protection  in  its  assaults  on  virtue. 

I  was  told  by  Judge  Royce  that  few  men  com- 
paratively knew  of  the  existence  of  this  private  law, 
and  it  is  certainly  a  significant  fact  that,  while  I  have 
talked  with  many  on  this  subject,  I  have  never  yet  seen 
a  man  outside  of  the  Masonic  lodge  and  the  legal  pro- 
fession who  knew  of  its  existence.  But  it  must  be 
plainly  evident  to  a  candid  reader,  from  wdiat  has 
gone  before,  that  the  high  Masons  are  acquainted 
with  this  iniquitous  statute  and  know  well  how  to  en- 
force it  on  the  families  of  poor  brother  Masons  of 
lower  degree. 

Is  it  not  time  that  the  eyes  of  American  women  were 
opened  to  see  that  the  degradation  of  one  of  their  sex, 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  IO9 

however  poor  or  ignorant,  or  friendless,  is  the  degra- 
dation of  all  ? 

I  helieve  if  statistics  could  be  obtained  they  would 
astonish  the  world,  and  make  the  church  stand  aghast 
with  horror  that  it  had  been  warming  such  a  viper  in 
in  its  bosom.  And  in  this  connection  I  must  record 
the  fact,  though  with  sorrow  and  pain,  that  I  received 
no  word  of  symp'\t!'<y  or  help  from  a  single  member  of 
the  church  to  which  I  belonged,  in  this  my  hour  of 
greatest  need. 

We  are  fast  approaching  the  evil  hour  when  this 
spirit  of  Anti-Christ  shall  unite  church  and  state,  and 
bring  on  that  time  of  trouble,  such  as  was  never  known 
before — so  sharp  and  terrible  that,  for  the  elect's  sake, 
lest  there  be  no  godly  seed  left  in  earth,  those  days 
are,  in  mercy,  shortened. 

How  long  must  pure  women  bear  the  disgrace  of 
their  fallen  sisters?  Why  not  put  the  sin  and  shame 
of  that  army  of  Magdalcncs — the  most  serious  prob- 
lem with  which  Christianity  has  to  deal — where  it 
properly  belongs?  And,  when  this  is  done,  it  will  be 
found  that  it  is  the  demoralizing  secret  system  which 
shields  the  men  by  whom  they  are  enticed  to  their  ruin, 
and  is  the  chief  inspirer  of  those  vile  private  laws 
which  leave  them  at  the  outset  with  no  protector. 

I  Corinthians  3:13,  14,  19,  20. 


CHAPTER  X. 

EXPERIENCE     WITH     ATTORNEYS. LEAVING     HOME. — A> 

CONSPIRACY. 

My  business  delayed  me  till  the  next  morning,  when 
I  took  the  train  to  my  home.  Two  strangers  were  on 
board,  one  of  whom  I  was  sure  must  be  the  officer  sent 
to  serve  the  writ  on  my  husband.  I  felt  naturally 
shocked  at  the  idea  of  coming  home  on  the  same  train 
with  an  officer,  and  when  I  left  the  cars  started  off  on 
a  quick  pace.  But  he  soon  overtook  me,  and  inquiring 
courteously  if  I  was  Mrs.  Giddings,  asked  where  he 
could  see  my  husband.  I  answered  that  he  had  worked 
in  the  woolen  factory  (which  was  true,  only  it  had 
been  several  years  since).  I  told  him  to  inquire  there. 
I  then,  by  taking  a  short  cut  across  the  fields,  reached 
home  a  short  time  in  advance  of  the  officer,  who,  I  will 
here  mention,  was  a  Mason,  but  attended  strictly  to 
business,  and  showed  no  particular  sympathy  for  his 
lodge  brother  in  distress. 

For  a  little  while  my  husband,  sobered  by  the  step  I 
had  been  forced  to  take,  refrained  from  any  abusive 
treatment  of  his  family,  but  his  weak  mind  soon  yielde-d 
to  the  influence  of  the  vile  men  who  had  him  so  com- 
pletely in  their  power. 

I  must  draw  a  veil  over  many  sad  scenes  which  I 
could  not  have  borne,  save  through  the  grace  of  God, 
which  I  can  truly  say  has  never  failed  me,  but  has 
proved  strongest  when  my  need  was  greatest.  But 
mv  husband's  treatment  of  us  finallv  became  so  un- 
endurable that  it  was  impossible  to  live  at  home  with 
him,  and  application  to  my  attorney  gave  me  no  satis- 

110 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  1 1 1 

faction.  1  was  only  told  that  I  must  put  up  with  it 
or  leave ;  for  though  I  held  the  deed  of  the  place  there 
was  no  law  by  which  my  husband  could  be  made  to 
leave  until  my  divorce  was  granted,  when  they  would 
see  that  my  property  rights  were  secured. 

As  a  last  resort  I  put  my  children  in  the  Orphans' 
Home  at  St.  Albans,  and  went  to  work  in  the  overalls 
factory  in  that  place,  securing  two  rtxims  and  board- 
ing myself.  I  was  so  near  the  Home  that  my  children 
could  come  Saturday  night  and  stay  over  Sunday. 
Thus  I  kept  home  ties  to  a  large  extent  intact.  Mean- 
while my  husband  stayed  on  the  place,  the  income  from 
which  helped  to  supply  his  wants,  as  he  was  unable  to 
work,  the  rent  of  the  house  helping  to  pay  his  board. 
I  had  a  fine  garden,  but  that  summer  all  my  much- 
prized  currant  bushes  were  mysterious  removed,  and 
my  rhubarb  plants  and  hop  vines  followed  the  same 
way.  My  husband,  when  questioned,  knew  as  little 
about  it  as  I. 

Still  another  method  was  taken  to  distress  me.  Two 
men  who  were  in  partnership  unbeknown  to  me  pur- 
chased my  only  cow  of  my  husband,  taking  part  of  her 
value  to  satisfy  a  debt  he  had  contracted,  and  claiming 
they  paid  the  rest  to  him  in  cash,  though  he  said  he  had 
no  recollection  of  ever  receiving  the  money.  This  was 
plainly  illegal,  as  Vermont  law  prohibits  a  creditor  from 
taking  the  family's  last  cow.  I  saw  one  of  my  attor- 
neys, who  said  it  was  too  late  to  get  back  the  cow,  as 
she  had  already  been  purchased  and  driven  off.  I  was 
getting  somewhat  dissatisfied  with  my  Masonic  attor- 
neys, who  had,  it  seemed  to  me,  designedly  made  out 
the  papers  in  such  a  way  that  my  interests  were  not  pro- 
tected. I  therefore  applied  to  a  Roman  Catholic  law- 
yer, naturally  thinking  that  his  religion  forbade  the 
thought  that  he  could  possibly  belong  to  the  fraternity. 

He  told  me  he  would  charge  nothing  for  talking  with 
me  about  the  case.  T  then  related  my  loss,  to  which 
he  replied  that  the  cow  was  certainly  mine  by  law;  that 


112  IN    THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

wherever  she  was  I  had  a  legal  right  to  her,  and  if  I 
would  give  him  ten  dollars  he  would  in  three  days  drive 
her  to  my  door. 

Neither  I  nor  my  daughter  had  so  much  money,  but 
I  wrote  to  my  son  Howard,  who  was  then  in  Potsdam, 
N.  Y.,  studying  portraiture,  and  stated  the  situation. 
He  was  of  consumptive  tendency  and  ])aid  his  way 
while  learning  the  business  by  working  early  and  late, 
washing  glass  for  the  firm,  and  doing  outside  chores, 
and  often  rising  as  early  as  three  or  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  that  he  might  have  time  for  his  studies.  Yet 
he  sent  me  Hve  dollars  out  of  his  scanty  earnings;  I 
managed  to  add  another  five  and  gave  it  to  the  attor- 
ney, who  put  me  off  with  various  excuses.  At  last, 
after  he  had  set  several  different  times  for  getting  the 
cow,  which  failed  to  materialize,  I  asked  him  to  tell  me 
definitely  whether  he  intended  to  do  anything  about  the 
case. 

A  peculiar  look  crossed  the  attorney's  countenance, 
and  smiling  blandly,  he  told  me  that,  as  I  desired  him 
to  tell  me  the  truth,  it  simply  amounted  to  this ;  that 
he  should  not  do  anything  about  it,  as  it  would  not_be 
for  his  interest  to  offend  influential  men  like  the  one 
who  had  purchased  my  cow,  and  who,  I  may  add, 
afterwards  became  State  Senator. 

I  reminded  him  that  in  that  case  he  ought  to  return 
the  ten  dollars,  as  it  was  paid  him  only  on  agreement 
that  he  should  get  back  my  cow. 

He  looked  at  me  with  a  smile,  as  if  to  see  how  I 
would  take  the  disappointment,  and  then  answered  in- 
solently that  he  "had  got  the  ten  dollars  and  was  going 
to  keep  it." 

I  was  not  surprised  to  learn,  afterward,  that  though 
a  Catholic  he  was  a  Mason,  and  one  with  the  lodge  ring 
who  had  so  deeply  wronged  myself  and  family,  and 
were  now  trying  to  distress  me  still  further. 

With  a  smile  that  I  tried  to  make  as  bland  as  his  own, 
I  thanked  him  for  telling  me  the  truth,  thus  saving  me 


HOWARD  GIDDINGS. 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  II5 

any  further  trouble,  and  left  his  office.  A  Mrs.  Shirley, 
who  worked  in  the  American  House,  told  me  that  he 
obtained  ten  dollars  from  her  in  a  like  fraudulent  way, 
and  I  afterwards  learned  of  several  other  poor  working 
women  from  whom  he  had  taken  money  on  false  pre- 
tences. 

Though  outwardly  calm  and  even  smiling,  when  I 
left  his  office,  I  did  not  mean  to  be  thus  cheated  without 
making  some  complaint.  I  saw  Judge  Royce  and 
asked  him  what  I  could  do  about  getting  back  my 
money.  He  replied  that  while  I  could  without  doubt 
force  the  attorney  to  refund  the  ten  dollars  he  knew 
all  the  crooks  in  law  and  might  put  me  to  many  times 
that  expense  before  the  case  was  through.  He  would, 
therefore,  advise  me  to  let  the  matter  drop. 

With  all  the  terrible  facts  that  had  been  revealed  to 
me,  my  husband  himself  soon  brought  even  more 
startling  evidence,  by  telling  me  that  if  my  case  came 
to  trial  the  Masons  had  their  plans  laid  to  take  me  to 
the  insane  asylum.  He  informed  mc  that  I  would 
not  be  allowed  to  say  a  word,  but  as  soon  as  I  entered 
the  court  room  two  Masonic  doctors  were  to  inform 
the  court  that  I  was  insane,  and  then  i)rocced  to  carry 
out  their  scheme  by  taking  me  off  to  the  asylum,  and 
keep  me  there  as  long  as  I  continued  obstinate ;  in 
which  case  I  should  never  sec  my  children  again.  He 
begged  me  with  tears  in  his  eyes  to  withdraw  my  suit 
and   comply   with    their  request. 

I  told  him  I  should  never  yield  to  them.  Though  my 
baby  was  but  two  years  old,  /  ivonld  he  separated  from 
her  forever,  and  die  in  the  insane  asylum  rather  than 
consent  to  their  vile  demands.  T  could  scarcely  believe 
that  a  wrong  so  terrible  was  actually  in  contemplation, 
but  I  hastened  at  once  to  my  attorney  and  asked  him  if 
he  had  heard  anything  about  my  being  insane. 

He  nodded,  and  replied  in  the  affirmative. 

"Who  told  you,  and  how  did  you  hear  it?"  I  ex- 
claimed. 


ii6 


IN    THE    ENEMIES     LAND. 


"Several  people  have  told  me  so,  and  I  have  been 
the  recipient  of  a  number  of  letters  from  parties  in 
Enosburg,  some  claiming  that  you  are  insane  and  others 
denying  it.  But  when  the  case  comes  to  trial  the  con- 
trary can  easily  be  proved,  as  you  are  now  supporting 


BABY    GRACE. 

yourself  and  children.     You  need  not  be  in  the  least 
alarmed." 

I  had  no  relatives  or  intimate  friends  to  take  an 
interest  in  my  case,  but  in  my  trouble  I  thought  of  Dr. 
R.  We  were  both  members  of  the  same  Episcopal 
church,  and  he  was  also  godfather  to  my  youngest 
child.     He  received  me  in  his  usual  kind  and  almost 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  II7 

parental  fashion ;  but  when,  after  some  words  of  in- 
different conversation,  I  related  what  I  had  found  out 
from  my  husband  and  attorney,  his  whole  manner 
seemed  at  once  to  change.  He  looked  at  me  with  a 
strange  kind  of  glance,  as  if  he  had  indeed  great  doubt 
of  my  sanity,  and  replied  : 

"You  are  a  little  off ;  a  little  off." 

I  tried  to  talk  with  him  on  matters  connected  with 
my  case,  but  he  refused  pertinaciously  to  enter  into  con- 
versation with  me,  and  only  repeated  again,  "A  little 
off— a  little  off." 

I  left  his  office,  and  went  to  that  of  Anson  Ladd,  I 
begged  him  to  excuse  me  for  calling  as  he  had  nothing 
to  do  with  my  case,  and  then  told  him  of  the  scheme  I 
had  discovered  to  g'et  me  into  the  insane  asylum,  and 
also  how  Dr.  R.,  who  I  had  been  so  sure  would  stand 
my  friend,  had  treated  me.  Now  I  felt  that  I  had  not 
a  friend,  but  I  had  kept  a  record  of  my  persecutions, 
and  I  begged  that  should  they  succeed  in  their  design, 
and  put  me  in  an  insane  asylum,  he  w^ould  take  meas- 
ures by  means  of  this  manuscript  to  bring  the  real 
truth  before  the  people.  For  it  may  be  mentioned  from 
the  time  I  learned  that  my  marriage  was  plotted  by 
Free  Masons  I  commenced  to  keep  this  record,  trusting 
that  some  time  the  facts  now  related  in  these  pages 
might  be  brought  to  light,  to  God's  glory,  and  the  ex- 
posure of  the  evil  deeds  plotted  in  secret  against  the 
poor. 

Mr.  Ladd  sprang  from  his  seat  and  began  to  pace  up 
and  down  the  floor.  He  was  by  nature  a  very  mild- 
tempered  man,  but  he  now  seemed  quite  excited,  even 
angry. 

"These  men  may  soon  find  that  the  halter  \x\\\  be  on 
their  own  necks!"  he  exclainicd.  "They  arc  almost  at 
the  end  of  their  rope,  and  the  trap  will  spring-  when 
they  least  expect  it." 

His  appearance  convinced  me  that  he  believed  a  plot 
had  been  actually  laid   to  imprison   me  in   an   insane 


Il8  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

asylum.  But  to  my  inquiries  whether  they  could  suc- 
ceed in  accomplishing  it.  he  only  repeated  his  remark ; 
nor  did  he  seem  inclined  to  explain  it  or  say  very  much 
on  the  subject. 

I  went  to  my  attorney,  and  told  him  how  Doctor  R. 
had  treated  me.  I  then  showed  him  an  appeal  to  the 
Grand  Lodge  which  I  had  written  and  asked  him  to 
present  it  at  a  meeting  of  that  body,  for  I  believed 
there  were  honorable  men  among  them  who  would  not 
uphold  their  brother  Masons  in  the  advantage  they  had 
taken  of  myself  and  sick  husband. 

He  again  assured  me  that  I  had  no  occasion  for 
alarm;  that  they  could  not  possibly  make  me  out 
insane. 

I  told  him  that  if  I  was  insane  I  had  a  record  in 
manuscript  which  would  prove  I  had  been  insane  for 
several  years ;  that  I  meant  to  make  a  number  of  copies 
of  it,  and  send  it  around  to  enough  people  to  insure  the 
truth  being  brought  to  light.  The  lodge  would  find 
it  could  not  hide  its  crimes  by  putting  me  in  an  insane 
asylum. 

"How  far  does  the  record  date?"  he  asked,  in  a  dis- 
turbed tone. 

"Ten  or  fifteen  years." 

"How  much  manuscript  have  you  got?"  he  further 
inquired,  with  still  more  disturbance  in  his  voice  and 
manner. 

"Enough  to  bring  the  truth  before  the  people,"  I 
answered. 

He  then  told  me  that  he  could  do  nothing  about  pre- 
senting my  appeal  to  the  Grand  Lodge  until  after  I 
obtained  my  divorce. 

"Can  you  get  proof  of  your  marriage?"  he  asked. 

"I  have  written  to  Mr.  P.,  the  minister  who  married 
me.  and  the  witness,  but  have  received  no  answer.  I 
have  nothing  but  my  marriage  certificate." 

"That  will  not  be  accepted  in  court.  You  must  have 
witnesses  or  you  cannot  get  your  divorce." 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  Il9 

I  could  not  procure  the  witnesses,  but  decided  to  let 
my  case  conic  to  trial. 

My  life,  dark  as  it  seemed  at  this  time,  was  bright- 
ened by  a  new  token  of  the  Lord's  goodness  in  provid- 
ing me  with  agreeable  employment  in  the  overalls  fac- 
tory at  St.  Albans.  It  was  the  pleasantest  place  in 
which  I  ever  worked.  The  proprietors  seemed  to 
have  the  interest  of  their  work-people  at  heart,  and  the 
wife  of  one,  Mrs.  Stark,  knowing  that  I  thought  of 
securing  rooms  in  a  certain  block,  asked  me  to  wait 
till  she  had  consulted  her  husband.  They  then  made 
arrangements  to  clear  out  a  certain  large  room  in  the 
block  occupied  by  the  factory,  and  had  it  partitioned 
off  into  three  apartments,  including  a  nice  pantry.  The 
kind-hearted  lady  and  her  husband  were  greatly  de- 
lighted when  my  children  and  I  were  at  last  com- 
fortably situated  in  rooms  right  across  from  the  hall 
where  I  worked. 

I  took  it  as  another  proof  of  the  Lord's  kind  care, 
and  flattered  myself  with  the  hope  that  my  darkest  sor- 
rows were  past,  and  a  brighter  future  already  dawning. 

A  short  time  after  I  had  begun  housekeeping  a  young 
married  couple  asked  that  they  might  board  with  me. 
I  finally  consented.  This  was  followed  by  so  many 
other  applications  that  I  finally  left  the  factory  for  the 
more  profitable  occupation  of  running  a  boarding- 
house. 

A  few  days  before  my  divorce  suit  was  to  come  off, 
my  attorney  sent  for  me  to  see  him  at  the  American 
House.  When  I  entered  the  hotel  parlor  T  was  aston- 
ished to  find  this  hitherto  polite  and  urbane  gentleman 
in  a  towering  rage. 

"Your  divorce  case  is  coming  off  in  a  few  days,"  he 
remarked  in  a  very  agitated  and  angry  manner,  "and 
I  want  you  to  understand  that  you  are  not  to  say  a  word 
in  court  except  to  answer  the  questions  asked." 

Up  to  this  time  my  attorneys  had  both  been  exceed- 


I20  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

ingly  kind  and  polite,  though  I  had  not  been  entirely 
satisfied  with  their  actions  in  regard  to  my  affairs. 

"Don't  you  dare  mention  your  property  in  court!"  he 
bellowed  fiercely.  "Don't  you  dare  say  a  word  except 
to  answer  the  questions  the  Court  may  ask  you." 

I  was  rather  amused  than  frightened  to  see  him  pace 
up  and  down  the  parlor,  angrily  gesticulating  with 
his  long  arms,  and  uttering  his  mandates  in  a  voice  like 
thunder.  I  calmly  reminded  him  that  he  and  his  part- 
ner had  promised  me  I  should  have  my  homestead 
when  the  trial  came  off,  and  asked  him  what  occasion 
there  was  for  talking  to  me  in  this  threatening  man- 
ner. 

He  yelled  that  my  property  was  an  after-considera- 
tion. When  I  got  my  divorce  I  could  sue  my  husband 
off  the  premises. 

I  remembered  what  my  husband  had  told  me,  that 
their  plan  was  not  to  allow  me  to  say  a  word  in  court, 
and  understood  very^well  his  reason  for  talking  to  me 
in  this  bullying  fashion.  He  hoped  to  frighten  me  so 
that  I  should  be  afraid  to  explain  my  case  in  court. 
And  as  the  explanation  flashed  over  my  mind,  I  almost 
laughed  to  see  him  gesture  and  rage,  feeling  assured 
that  the  Lord  would  yet  bring  the  plans  of  my  enemies 
to  confusion,  and  make  them  see  their  weakness. 

On  leaving  the  hotel  I  sought  the  residence  of  Hon. 
Judge  Royce,  and  told  him  how  my  attorney  had  for- 
bidden my  saying  anything  to  the  court,  and  asked  him 
if  I  would  be  obliged  to  remain  silent  while  my  lawyers 
presented  just  as  much  of  my  case  as  they  desired,  or  if 
I  should  be  allowed  to  explain,  in  the  event  of  their  try- 
ing to  use  deception  on  the  court,  possibly  to  make  me 
appear  insane. 

Judge  Royce  then  told  me  to  go  to  the  Weldon  Hotel 
and  ask  the  waiter  to  let  me  see  Judge  Powers,  at  the 
same  time  giving  me  particular  directions  what  to  say 
to  him.  I  was 'first  to  ask,  "Is  this  Judge  Powers?" 
and  on  his  answering  in  the  affirmative,  say :     "Judge 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  12  1 

Royce  sent  ine  here  to  talk  with  you."  He  had  me 
repeat  the  words  over  after  him  two  or  three  times,  and 
then  dismissed  me,  saying  that  Judge  Powers  would 
know  what  he  meant. 

I  did  so;  but  after  I  had  repeated  the  formula  given 
me,  1  told  him  about  the  peculiar  conduct  of  my  attor- 
ney, and  ended  by  asking  him  if  he  was  a  Mason. 

"Not  in  court,"  he  answered.  "My  oath  as  Judge  is 
higher  than  that  of  a  Mason." 

1  then  related  how  I  had  been  obliged  to  support 
myself  and  children,  and  some  of  the  time  my  husband  ; 
that  my  attorneys  had  made  out  the  papers  in  such  a 
way  that  I  had  been  forced  to  leave  my  home,  and 
through  their  neglect  even  my  cow  had  been  taken. 
But  I  had  put  up  with  all  this  and  tried  not  to  offend 
them. 

Judge  Powers  assured  me  that  his  being  a  Mason 
would  make  no  difference ;  he  would  see  that  I  had  a 
fair  trial.  He  appeared  much  grieved  at  my  story,  ex- 
pressed his  sorrow  that  such  a  woman  as  I  should  be 
obliged  to  get  a  divorce,  and  promised  that  my  case 
should  come  to  trial  right  away. 

The  next  day  I  received  a  letter  from  my  other  attor- 
ney, telling  me  to  be  at  the  American  House  at  a  cer- 
tain hour.  I  went  up  to  the  hotel  and  was  scarcely 
seated  before  the  attorney  began,  civilly  enough,  yet 
with  a  covert  sneer  in  his  tone:  "So  you  have  been 
to  see  Judge  Powers!  What  did  you  do  that  for? 
Was  it  to  prejudice  him  against  your  husband?  You 
may  lose  your  case  by  taking  such  a  step.  I  am  sure 
you  would  if  I  was  Judge." 

I  reminded  him  that  they  had  promised  I  should  have 
my  homestead  when  my  case  came  to  trial,  but  his  part- 
ner had  said  it  must  not  be  mentioned  in  court.  He 
told  me,  in  the  words  of  his  partner,  that  my  property 
"was  an  after-consideration,"  and  I  nnist  sue  to  get 
it.  He  said  again,  that  I  had  prejudiced  my  divorce 
case  with  Judge  Powers  by  going  to  see  him,  and  ap- 


122  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

peared   much   \  jxc  J,   though   unHke   his   partner,   he 
treated  me  with  outward  civihty. 

1  did  not  dare  tell  how  I  was  sent  to  Judge  Powers, 
fearing  they  would  blame  Judge  Royce.  I  preferred 
to  bear  the  blame  myself.  So  I  allowed  him  to  think  I 
had  gone  of  my  own  accord  and  without  advice ;  a 
thing  of  which  I  would  certainly  never  have  thought. 

My  case  came  to  trial  the  next  evening. 

I  left  my  boarders  eating  supper  and  went  at  the 
time  appointed.  The  court  was  sitting  in  a  private 
parlor  of  the  Weldon  Hotel.  The  first  question  asked 
me  was,  What  had  caused  the  greatest  trouble  be- 
tween myself  and  husband? 

I  gave  the  facts  as  I  have  previously  related  them, 
and  stated  that  I  had  been  told  that  the  only  way  to 
protect  myself  and  family  w^as  through  a  divorce. 

I  was  again  asked  if  there  was  not  some  other  cause 
of  trouble,  and  again  said,  "No." 

My  daughter  was  questioned  and  confirmed  the 
statements  I  had  made. 

I  will  state  here  that  when  we  first  went  into  court 
my  attorneys  were  asked  if  my  husband  had  put  in 
any  defense,  and  replied  in  the  negative.  The  reason 
was,  because  he  could  not  find  an  attorney  wilhng  to 
appear  against  me. 

My  son  Howard  was  then  called  upon  to  testify.  He 
was  asked  if  he  had  heard  anything  which  led  him  to 
believe  that  his  father  and  mother  had  trouble  on  those 
grounds,  and  then,  at  the  request  of  the  Court,  related 
some  of  the  circumstances. 

Judge  Powers  then  turned  sharply  to  him  and  said : 
"Now,  tell  us  when  you  first  became  aware  of  this."  A 
hectic  flush  overspread  the  face  of  my  noble  son,  and 
after  a  moment's  silence  he  answered  that  he  could  not 
tell,  being  too  young  at  the  time  the  trouble  first  began 
to  understand  its  nature.  He  well  remembered  the 
last  time  when  he  knew  of  trouble  from  this  cause.  It 
occurred  the  winter  before  he  went  to  Potsdam.     He 


ANNA  GIDDINGS. 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  1 25 

had  heard  his  sister  cry  as  she  told  their  mother  she 
was  afraid  she  would  lose  her  place  in  the  Spavin-Cure 
building,  if  the  proi)rietors  should  discover  how  her 
constant  weeping  unfitted  her  for  work. 

After  the  testimony  was  all  given  in,  one  of  my  attor- 
neys informed  the  Court  that  there  was  no  proof  of  my 
marriage,  as  it  was  not  on  record,  and  there  were  no 
witnesses. 

Judge  Powers  quietly  asked  me  if  I  had  a  certificate, 
and  where  it  was.  I  took  it  out  of  my  handbag,  having 
been  previously  advised,  though  not  by  my  attorneys, 
it  need  scarcely  be  said,  to  take  it  with  me. 

"Is  that  sufficient  proof,"  asked  one  of  my  attorneys, 
in  a  very  doubtful  tone. 

"Yes,"  returned  the  Judge.  "It  is  an  old  certificate. 
I  consider  it  sufficient  proof.  It  is  no  fraud.  It  is 
witnessed  and  signed  by  the  clergyman  who  married 
her.  The  different  hand-writings  and  the  age  of  the 
certificate  is  surely  proof  of  her  marriage." 

There  was  silence  in  the  courtroom  for  a  few  mo- 
ments. The  Court  then  asked  me  if  there  was  any 
property. 

"There  is.  A  house  and  three  acres  and  a  half  of 
land." 

"Who  is  now  in  possession  of  the  place?" 

"My  husband." 

"Is  there  any  loose  property?"  asked  the  Judge,  after 
a  moment  of  silent  consideration. 

Before  I  had  time  to  answer,  one  of  my  attorneys 
said  "No."  I  did  not  dare  dispute  his  assertion,  and 
kept  silent.  Judge  Powers  then  turned  to  my  attor- 
neys. 

"There  must  be  some  loose  property,"  he  said,  and, 
turning  from  them  to  me,  remarked  : 

"You  have  household  furniture,  surely?" 

"Yes.  sir."  T  replied. 

He  paused  again,  seemingly  for  consideration,  and 
then  told  the  attorney  I  was  to  have  my  homestead  and 


r26  IN    THE   enemies'  LAND, 

custody  of  my  children,  and  he  wanted  him  to  see  that 
I  came  into  immediate  possession  of  all  the  property, 
household  furniture,  including  loose  property  of  every 
kind. 

I  have  never  forgotten  the  angry  looks  cast  upon 
him  by  two  members  of  the  court,  or  the  answering 
look,  almost  of  terror,  that  flitted  over  the  Judge's  face, 
as  if  he  had  involved  himself  in  some  unknown  dan- 
ger. 

I  heard  him  say  in  a  low  tone  to  the  attorney,  as  if 
in  explanation  or  apology:  "I  had  to  do  the  best  I 
could  by  this  woman.  There  was  no  other  way.  It  is 
the  most  wicked  case  that  ever  came  before  me.  I  hope 
I  shall  never  have  another." 

They  looked  into  each  other's  eyes  for  a  moment. 
Then  the  attorney  bowed  as  if  he  understood. 

"You  must  not  thank  me  for  doing  my  duty,"  replied 
Judge  Powers,  when  I  thanked  him  for  his  kindness. 
"You  are  worthy  of  all  I  have  done  for  you,  and  more ; 
and  now  I  want  to  say  to  you,  Never  be  afraid  so  long 
as  right  is  on  your  side.  If  you  ever  have  a  case  in 
court,  make  sure  that  it  is  understood.  Many  people 
lose  their  cases  for  this  reason,  that  they  were  never 
understood  by  the  court." 

I  felt  like  falling  on  my  knees  and  pouring  out  my 
grateful  thanksgivings  to  God,  and  my  heart  was  lifted 
in  silent  prayer  as  Judge  Powers  bade  me  good-bye  and 
left  me  at  the  door.  Not  so  my  gallant  attorneys. 
They  accompanied  me  through  the  broad  hall  and  down 
the  stairs  into  the  street,  telling  me  all  the  time  how  the 
Masons  had  stood  by  me  like  brothers,  and  would 
always  be  my  friends ;  that  I  had  every  reason  to  re- 
spect the  order  and  ought  never  to  forget  how  much 
they  had  done  for  me,  etc. 

I  made  little  or  no  answer.  My  deliverance  had  come 
from  on  high.  I  was  in  no  way  indebted  to  my  Ma- 
sonic attorneys,  who  had  been  so  careless  of  my  inter- 
ests.    Through  their  negligence — to  call  it  by  the  mild- 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  1 27 

est  possible  name — I  had  been  driven  from  my  home 
and  suffered  loss  and  damat^e  in  many  ways.  Nor 
could  my  attorney's  threatening;-  gesture,  when  he  com- 
manded me  to  keep  silent  and  only  answer  the  ques- 
tions of  the  Court,  be  effaced  from  my  memory.  I  felt 
that  this  was  an  instance  where  (lod  used  the  wrath 
of  man  to  praise  him  ;  for  had  I  not  been  thus  warned,  I 
should  not  have  seen  Judge  Royce  again  before  my 
case  came  to  trial ;  Judge  Powers  could  have  easily 
been  deceived,  and  their  insane  dodge  successfully  ac- 
complished. 

I  intended  at  that  time  never  to  reveal  these  facts 
to  the  world  on  account  of  respect  and  gratitude  for 
Judge  Powers,  but  year  after  year  the  old  ring  followed 
on  my  track  like  so  many  bloodhounds,  to  injure  and 
cause  me  annoyance ;  I  therefore  feel  it  my  duty  to  God 
and  humanity  to  continue  this  painful  narrative  to  the 
end. 

It  was  not  till  years  after  that  I  realized  how  easily 
the  Secret  Empire  could  have  imprisoned  me  in  the 
torture  den  of  a  madhouse,  such  as  the  Waterbury 
Asylum,  where  terrible  abuses  were  committed  under. 
a  superintendent,  the  revelation  of  which,  as  it  hap- 
pened no  longer  ago  than  1896,  and  at  the  time  created 
the  intensest  excitement  throughout  the  State,  must  be 
still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  many.  Great  pains  were 
taken  to  smother  the  evidence  but  without  avail.  Pub- 
lic indignation  ran  too  high.  An  investigation  was  de- 
manded, which  brought  out  many  shocking  facts. 
Vermont  law.  which  made  the  cost  of  caring  for  the 
insane  poor  devolve  upon  the  State,  was  responsible 
for  these  wrongs.  I  quote  from  the  "Burlington  News" 
of  November  o,  1896: 

"Under  such  a  system  no  one  is  particularlv  inter- 
ested in  ascertaining  whether  in  cases  of  commitment 
to  the  asylum  the  person  is  really  insane,  or  whether 
his  legal  residence  is  in  Vermont.  The  State  nay<^  the 
freight,  and  the  slightest  possible  attention  is  given 


128  IN    THE   enemies'  LAND. 

to  the  patient's  real  condition,  or  the  question  whether 
he  is  legally  entitled  to  the  public  care." 

Such  a  law,  it  can  be  plainly  seen,  is  an  instrument 
ready-made  by  which  to  inflict  vengeance.  Doctors  can 
be  obtained  to  testify  to  their  victim's  insanity,  as  no 
attention  is  given  to  the  patient's  condition.  I  have 
since  learned  that  the  crimes  attempted  by  vile  lodge- 
men — in  my  own  family — have  been  accomplished  in 
the  families  of  others. 

I  would  like  to  call  the  attention  of  Master  Masons 
everywhere  to  the  oaths  they  have  taken,  and  ask 
them  to  consider  of  what  construction  such  oaths  are 
capable,  and  how  these  unholy  vows  can  be  used  to 
silence  their  protest,  even  against  crimes  the  most 
heinous,  and  committed  upon  their  own  families,  who. 
it  is  popularly  supposed.  Masons  are  especially  sworn 
to  protect. 

Psalms  31  :  11,  13-15,  21-24. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

A  SUBJECT  WORTHY  OF  THOUGHT. — THE  HIDDEN  HAND 
IN  LOCAL  POLITICS. — THE  MYSTERIOUS  CONDUCT  OF 
MY  LANDLORD. 

A  short  time  after  my  divorce  was  granted  I  re- 
ceived a  postal  card  through  the  mail,  which  read  as 
follows : 

Enosburg  Falls,  Vt.,  Jan.  12,  '88. 

"Mrs.  Giddings:  I  have  a  corporation  tax  of  $1.27 
against  your  place  here,  which  must  be  paid  before 
Feb.  ist,  or  I  shall  have  to  the  sell  the  same. 


Village  Collector.". 

I  suppress  the  name,  not  wishing  its  publication. 

At  this  time  I  supposed  my  taxes  were  all  paid,  hav- 
ing a  receipt  in  full,  signed  l\v  another  collector.  I  had 
not  been  notified  of  my  corporation  tax,  or  that  would 
have  been  as  promptly  paid.  I  saw  the  card  was  evi- 
dently intended  for  my  annoyance  and  felt  convinced 
enemies  were  still  on  my  track. 

My  homestead  was  valued  at  four  hundred  dollars ;  I 
was  supporting  myself  and  children  and  here  was  a 
threat  to  sell  it  for  one  dollar  and  twenty-seven  cents. 
Had  it  been  impossible  for  me  to  raise  this  small 
amount,  there  was  no  law  to  hinder  him  from  making 
bis  threat  good  by  putting  an  attachment  on  my  place, 
making  an  untold  amount  of  cost,  and  selling  it  at  auc- 
tion, thus  robbing  me  of  my  home.  Fortunately  my 
boarding-house  was  paying  expenses,  and  a  little  more, 
which  enabled  me  to  pay  my  taxes  and  all  outstanding 
debts. 

But  what  of  other  women  with  small  homesteads  and 

129 


130  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

without  resources,  who  are  sick  and  not  able  to  earn 
money,  and  burdened  with  small  children  ?  Their  little 
homes  are  liable  to  be  taken  from  them  and  sold  for 
taxes;  where  the  just  and  righteous  thing  would  be  to 
exempt  these  small  holdings  entirely.  And  if  this  were 
done  the  loss  to  the  State,  all  taken  together,  would 
not  amount  to  the  vast  sums  lost  annually  by  the  prac- 
tical exemption  of  the  wealthy  tax-dodgers. 

Surely  the  nation  can  gain  nothing  by  pauperizing  its 
own  citizens.  The  problem  of  the  vast  and  increasing 
army  of  the  homeless  and  what  to  do  with  them,  is  ever 
with  us.  For  multitudes  of  poor  families  it  is  a  con- 
stant struggle  to  pay  the  taxes  on  their  little  home- 
steads ;  and  when  the  heads  of  the  household  are  feeble 
women,  what  wonder  that  so  many  give  up  the  battle, 
and  their  children  arc  left  to  grow  up  without  the  pro- 
tecting, steadying  influence  that  radiates  from  one's 
own  fireside ! 

"He  who  provides  not  for  his  own  hath  denied  the 
faith,  and  is  worse  than  an  infidel,"  is  as  applicable  to 
the  State  and  nation  as  to  the  individual.  A  nation 
without  laws  to  protect  the  home,  however  great  its 
outward  prosperity,  is  always  a  "decadent  nation."  We 
have  had  much  to  say  of  Spapish  cruelty  and  greed, 
but  did  ever  Spanish  tax-gatherers  make  a  more  inso- 
lent demand  on  some  far-away  Filipino  in  his  straw- 
roofed  hut  than  this  tax-collector  in  Christian  New 
England,  who  for  one  dollar  and  twenty-seven  cents 
would  have  put  an  attachment  on  a  poor  woman's 
home? 

Though  meant  to  annov  and  insult  me,  I  feel  that 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  in  this  occurrence,  as  it  gives 
occasion  to  relate  some  facts  T  should  not  have  learned 
had  I  not  been  a  Mason's  wife,  regarding  the  way  in 
which  the  Secret  Empire  secured  the  incorporation  of 
the  village. 

Several  meetings,  held  to  discuss  the  measure,  made 


A    TERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  I3I 

it  very  evident  to  the  promoters  that  it  could  not  be 
carried,  save  by  trickery  and  stratagem. 

One  day  my  husband  told  me  the  lodge  had  hit  upon 
a  plan  for  incorporating  the  village  that  was  sure  to 
succeed.  The  clock  in  the  hall  was  to  be  put  forward 
about  fifteen  minutes,  to  which  some  of  the  Masons 
were  to  set  their  watches.  Orders  were  then  given 
to  appear  on  the  scene  at  just  the  right  moment  by 
the  changed  time,  but  not  before,  lest  suspicion  should 
be  excited,  open  the  meeting,  and  carry  the  vote  for  in- 
corporation. The  Masonic  element  was  in  the  major- 
ity, and  as  their  watches  agreed  with  the  clock,  they, 
of  course,  carried  the  election.  When  the  opposite 
party  arrived  on  the  scene,  there  was  a  natural  sus- 
picion of  fraud,  but  they  had  gained  their  point.  This 
explains  how  the  village  came  to  be  incorporated 
against  the  will  of  a  majoritv  of  the  inhabitants  and  a 
tax  placed  upon  the  poor  without  their  consent. 

Of  course,  the  same  ruse  could  not  be  tried  the  sec- 
ond time;  and  on  an  occasion  when  another  important 
subject  was  to  be  voted  upon  the  Masons  packed  the 
meeting  and  opened  it,  while  they  had  their  emissaries 
button-holing  the  men  on  the  opposite  side,  detaining 
them  around  the  hall  door  and  on  the  street,  talking  it 
over  and  remarking  confidently,  "Plenty  of  time! 
Plenty  of  time!"  whenever  some  victim  showed  un- 
easiness. Thus  their  point  was  carried  before  many 
voters  reached  the  hall,  and  business  which  should 
have  occupied  three  or  four  hours  was  rushed  through 
in  fifteen  minutes. 

This  shows  what  can  be  done  in  the  small  arena  of 
local  politics.  Can  it  not  also  be  done  on  a  larger  scale 
in  the  State  and  nation — pass  measures  utterly  opposed 
to  the  will  of  the  people,  and  even  plunge  the  country' 
unexpectedly  into  a  foreign  war,  or  a  more  deadiv  civil 
strife?  The  whole  system  is  so  arranged  as  to  give  to 
a  few  the  power  to  carry  their  point,  right  or  wrong, 
over  the  heads  of  the  many. 


132  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

In  the  "New  York  Tribune,"  August  18,  1899,  is  a 
notice  of  the  death  of  Andrew  D.  Best,  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal managers  of  the  railroad  strikes  in  1886,  '87,  '90 
and  '95.  It  is  also  mentioned  that  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  Odd  Fellows,  the  Knights 
of  St.  John  and  Malta,  and  several  other  fraternal  so- 
cieties. 

The  tyrannical  power  exercised  by  the  labor  leaders 
over  members  of  the  unions  is  well  known.  Can  it  be 
otherwise,  when  they  place  at  their  head  members  of 
this  most  despotic  of  all  organizations?  The  man- 
dates of  their  Masonic  superiors  must  be  obeyed  un- 
questioningly,  and  the  working-man  who  from  con- 
scientious principles  refuses  to  join  is  crushed  as  it 
were  between  two  millstones — the  greed  and  tyranny 
of  capital  and  the  abuse  and  boycotting  of  his  fellow 
laborers.  For  years  I  have  been  aware  that  an  in- 
visible hand  is  craftily  manipulating  these  unions. 
Now  that  I  know  Masonic  leaders  are  at  the  helm,  the 
mystery  is  unraveled. 

There  are  intelligent  working-men  in  these  unions. 
I  would  ask  all  such  to  investigate  the  character  of 
an  organization,  which  is  controlling  the  hosts  of  labor 
by  causing  its  most  trusted  lieutenants  to  be  placed 
at  their  head.  Long-sealed  pages  of  history  are  now 
being  opened  to  the  wondering  gaze  of  the  world, 
showing  that  Masonry  has  really  been  in  all  ages  a 
conspiracy  against  the  poor,  masked  under  a  guise  of 
sympathy  for  their  wrongs.  Masonry  is  swearing  the 
laboring  men  into  these  unions,  taking  from  them  the 
sacred  right  of  individual  opinion,  and  thus  reducing 
them  to  a  state  of  slavery,  unconscious,  it  may  be,  but 
none  the  less  real. 

We  are  told  in  God's  Word  not  to  put  our  trust  in 
princes.  Why,  indeed,  should  the  honest  poor  put  their 
trust  in  men  who  glorv  in  titles  like  these :  Royal 
Master ;  Grand  Elect,  Perfect  and  Sublime  Mason ; 
Prince  of  the  Tabernacle;  Prince  of  Mercy;  Grand 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  1 33 

Inspector ;  Inquisitor  Commander ;  Sublime  Prince  of 
the  Royal  Secret,  and  so  on. 

Now  that  my  life-work  is  so  nearly  done,  I  feel  a 
peculiarly  tender  sympathy  for  other  poor  and  friend- 
less ones — they  whose  children  are  being  ground  down 
and  made  merchandise  of  by  the  same  invisible  power 
which  is  so  largely  responsible  for  the  present  dis- 
graceful condition  of  our  nation — the  fraud,  trickery 
and  general  corruption  prevailing  in  governmental  af- 
fairs. I  entreat  every  laboring  man  into  whose  hands 
this  book  may  fall  to  put  his  trust  in  the  living  God 
and  not  in  Mason-led  labor  unions,  remembering  what 
the  wise  man  has  said :  "As  a  roaring  lion  and  a.  rag- 
ing bear,  so  is  a  wicked  ruler  over  a  poor  people." 

The  reader  who  has  followed  me  thus  far,  will  not 
need  to  be  told  that,  through  all  my  life,  though  I  have 
known  what  it  is  to  be  poor,  homeless  and  friendless, 
the  Lord  has  most  faithfully  rewarded  my  trust  in  Him, 
and  in  His  strength  I  have  continued  to  stand  on  the 
side  of  right  to  this  day.  By  His  Holy  Spirit  He  has 
warned  me  against  the  flattery  of  deceivers.  I  have 
seen  the  designs  of  wicked  men,  though  they  stood 
high  in  the  church  and  in  society,  brought  to  con- 
fusion, and  their  plans  overthrown.  What  God  has 
done  for  me.  He  can  and  will  do  for  others. 

It  does  seem  as  if  all  of  Satan's  army  is  organized 
against  the  honest  people,  whose  only  offense  is  in  not 
conforming  to  the  world.  I  will  here  refer  the  reader 
to  an  item  taken  from  the  "Christian  Cynosure": 
"The  labor  unions  of  Chicago  are  about  to  introduce 
(Nov.  13)  an  ordinance  into  the  City  Council  which 
shall  provide  that  police  protection  be  denied  in  time 
of  strike  to  non-union  laborers.  A  more  barefaced 
or  insane  attack  on  good  government  is,  indeed,  diffi- 
cult to  imagine." 

Surelv  no  person  who  has  the  welfare  of  the  poor  at 
heart  woidd  ask  for  such  a  barbarous  law,  nor  force 
an  honest  laborer  into  their  order  against  their  con- 


134  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

science.  We  need  laws  that  will  protect  all  people  in 
their  just  ri,c:hts.  The  master  who  would  wrong  his 
hired  help  should  be  made  to  pay  a  heavy  fine,  and 
hired  help  imprisoned  if  they  wilfully  damage  their  em- 
ployers. 

But  to  resume  the  thread  of  my  story.  My  chief 
trouble,  the  winter  after  I  obtained  my  divorce,  was 
my  inability  to  procure  good  milk,  and  thereby  hangs 
a  tale  which  it  may  be  profitable  to  relate. 

My  boarders  being  mostly  railroad  carpenters,  had 
to  have  a  very  early  breakfast,  which  necessitated  my 
procuring  the  milk  from  the  creamery  the  night  before, 
but  it  often  turned  sour  when  set  aside,  and  no  cream 
rose. 

One  morning  my  boarders  pushed  away  their  coflFee 
cups  with  an  expression  of  dissatisfaction.  I  saw  there 
must  be  something  done  or  they  would  leave.  I  be- 
lieved that  the  proprietor  of  the  creamery  was  not  to 
blame,  but  his  foreman,  who  was,  I  am  sorry  to  say, 
a  leading  member  of  the  Methodist  church.  _  Taking 
two  cups  of  milk,  one  purchased  of  the  proprietor,  the 
other  of  his  dishonest  emplove,  I  stood  them  over  night, 
with  the  result  expected :  One  had  a  covering  of  thick 
cream,  the  other  had  turned  sour. 

As  this  was  a  serious  matter,  involving  the  daily 
bread  of  myself  and  family,  I  made  a  complaint  to 
the  man  who  had  so  often  stood  my  friend  before, 
Hon.  Judge  Royce.  He  advised  me  to  say  nothing 
about  "it.  but  promised  that  I  should  get  no  more  poor 
milk.  Nor  was  I  again  troubled  in  this  way.  The 
next  time  the  Legislature  met  at  Montpelier,  the  strict 
Vermont  milk-law  was  passed,  which  has  proved  such 
a  blessing  to  manv  poor  families  in  this  State. 

It  would  be  well  if  men  in  high  position  would  more 
often  interest  themselves  to  see  that  justice  is  done  in 
these  seemingly  small  matters.  One  good  law,  if  en- 
forced, mav  prove  an  inestimable  blessing,  but  my  ex- 
perience has  taught  me  that  there  are  many  laws  pur- 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  135 

posely  framed  in  such  a  way  that  unscrupulous  men 
can  take  advantage  of  the  poor  when  there  is  no  one  to 
protect  them  in  their  rights. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stark  told  mc  tiiat  in  the  spring  they 
would  find  me  a  furnished  house  and  guarantee  me 
twenty  boarders ;  but  he  was  taken  sick  that  winter,  and 
died.  I  therefore  decided  to  take  more  railroad  board- 
ers. 

Mr.  P ,  an  official  of  the  Vermont  Central,  whose 

office  it  was  to  hire  the  brakemen,  was  recommended 
to  me  as  a  gentleman  of  the  highest  Christian  char- 
acter. I  went  to  his  house  and  asked  him  if  he  could 
furnish  me  boarders  in  the  spring,  and  how  many.  He 
questioned  me  very  closely  as  to  whether  I  had  a  hus- 
band, the  number  of  my  children,  etc.,  and  who  had 
custody  of  them.     He  then  said : 

"I  believe  you  are  the  kind  of  woman  who  will  keep 
a  good,  respectable  house.  Now,  if  you  will  keep  such 
a  house,  and  allow  no  drinking,  I  will  send  you  all  the 
men  you  can  board.  Give  them  to  understand  that 
they  must  behave  themselves,  and  if  they  do  otherwise, 
report  them  to  me." 

This  necessitated  more  room,  and  I  accordingly 
asked  the  owner  of  the  block  if  he  had  any  more  vacant 
apartments.  There  was  a  large  hall  over  the  tenement 
I  was  occupying,  which  he  offered  to  partition  oft"  into 
several  sleeping  rooms ;  and  he  even  asked  me  to  visit 
the  hall  with  him  while  he  drew  a  chalk-mark  on  the 
floor,  according  to  my  suggestion,  to  mark  off  the  sev- 
eral divisions.  As  he  promised  to  have  them  ready 
in  three  weeks,  I  had  cards  printed,  and  was  preparing 
to  take  the  rooms  as  soon  as  possible. 

A  few  days  after  he  came  to  see  me,  fidgeted  in  his 
chair,  looked  very  red  in  the  face,  and  finally  told  me 
that  he  wanted  me  to  vacate  the  rooms.  He  refused 
to  give  anv  reason  at  first,  but  finally  said  that  my  rooms 
were  needed  by  the  factory  company.  I  inquired  at 
their  office,  only  to  learn  from  the  proprietors  them- 


136  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

selves  that  they  had  not  asked  for  the  rooms,  nor  were 
they  wanted. 

When  I  informed  my  landlord,  his  only  reply  was  to 
say  that  I  must  go,  and  go  at  once.  I  told  him  I  must 
have  time  to  look  up  other  rooms,  and  should  exercise 
my  legal  right  to  stay  till  the  month  was  out. 

When  I  moved,  my  "vacated  apartments  were  taken 
by  another  family,  who  paid  but  three  dollars  a 
month,  whereas  I  had  always  paid  five.  Here  was  a 
mvsterv.  I  could  not  but  suspect  that  my  enemies  were 
at  the  bottom  of  this  wrong,  and  made  up  my  mind  to 
be  very  cautious,  not  knowing  the  time  when  another 
sly  attack  might  be  made. 

I  found  a  house  convenient  for  my  purpose,  into 
which  I  moved,  paying  ten  dollars  a  month.  Mr.  P. 
kept  his  word  and  sent  me  all  the  steady  boarders  for 
whom  I  had  room.  That  year,  besides  paying  all  ex- 
penses, I  cleared  over  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dol- 
lars, though  I  gave  away  every  day  on  an  average  from 
three  to  five  meals  to  men  who  came  to  my  door  hun- 
gry yet  had  no  means  to  pay  their  board.  I  also  had 
the  satisfaction  of  doing  a  good  work  among  my  board- 
ers, some  of  W'hom  were  addicted  to  drink,  but  through 
the  influence  of  Mr.  P.,  who  was  a  great  temperance 
worker,  and  that  of  my  own  family,  many  drinking  men 
signed  the  pledge  and  joined  temperance  organiza- 
tions. Some  came  to  my  house  who  had  lived  a  tramp 
life  so  long,  seeking  for  work,  that  they  were  covered 
with  vermin.  Even  these  poor  young  men  I  received  as 
I  would  wish  a  son  of  mine  to  be  received  under  the 
same  circumstances — by  loaning  them  clean  clothes 
and  otherwise  helping  them  to  take  a  new  start  in  life 
and  become  self-supporting. 

I  had  to  use  great  caution  to  keep  a  knowledge  of 
their  condition  from  the  other  boarders.  If  I  had  the 
least  suspicion  of  an  applicant  I  assured  him  he  should 
not  be  turned  away  if  it  was  found  that  he  required  a 
mother's  care,  and  requested  him  to  change  his  clothes 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  137 

at  once.  Giving  him  sonic  of  my  son's  garments  to 
put  on,  I  carefully  gathered  up  for  examination  the 
suit  of  which  he  had  divested  himself,  with  the  sheet 
on  which  1  required  him  to  stand  while  making  the  ex- 
change. If  vermin  appeared  on  the  underclothes  of 
any,  it  was  put  in  a  kettle  of  boiling  brine.  I  sponged 
their  pants  with  strong  tobacco  tea,  of  which  two  or 
three  applications  were  always  sufficient. 

They  were  then  ready  to  appear  at  the  polls  at  the 
next  election  and  exercise  their  freeman's  right  of  vot- 
ing men  into  ofifice  who  were  to  be  the  lawmakers  for 
women  like  myself,  who,  though  supporting  them- 
selves and  families,  are  reckoned  in  with  paupers, 
idiots,  insane,  and  convicts,  as  not  entitled  to  the  fran- 
chise. , 

iVIy  children  were  a  great  comfort  to  me  and  did  all 
they  could  to  lighten  my  cares.  Again,  I  am  sorry  to 
say,  I  turned  aside  to  worldly  ways  and  was  looking 
forward  with  a  mother's  natural  pride  and  ambition  to 
seeing  my  children  well  educated  and  able  to  hold  their 
places  with  the  best  in  society.  My  son  Howard  gave 
promise  of  becoming  a  celebrated  artist,  while  my 
darling  Sarah  showed  such  a  decided  bent  for  liter- 
ature that  I  resolved  to  give  her  a  superior  education, 
hoping  some  day  to  see  her  a  popular  authoress.  My 
youngest  son  was  a  smart,  hustling  little  fellow,  fond 
of  business  and  the  newspapers.  He  insisted  upon  hav- 
ing a  daily  paper,  and  to  keep  himself  in  change  pro- 
cured a  basket  and  sold  apples  at  the  foundry  and 
shops.  In  vacation  he  supplied  himself  with  money  by 
being  "water-boy"  on  the  excursion  trains,  etc. 

Anna  took  as  much  interest  in  the  education  of  her 
brother  and  sisters  as  I  did.  It  was  her  earnings,  when 
but  fifteen  years  of  age.  that  first  gave  her  brother 
Howard  a  chance  to  study  art.  In  fact,  my  children 
were  all  my  heart  could  wish,  barring  the  fact  that  none 
of  them  was  physically  strong.  Howard  was  in 
especially  poor  health,  and  I  often  feared  (what  after- 


138 


IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 


wards  proved  to  be  the  case)  that  consumption  had  laid 
its  fatal  grasp  upon  his  system. 

He  was  much  interested  in  the  moral  welfare  of  the 
boarders  and  took  particular  pains  to  get  them  to 
church,  as  well  as  to  the  four  o'clock  meetings  held  in 
the  hall  of  the  Reform  Club.  , 

I  well  remember  how  Anna,  having  just  returned 
from  a  meeting  of  the  club,  came  into  the  kitchen  one 
Sunday,  where  I  was  preparing  cream  for  the  freezer, 
and  said :  "A  number  of  our  boarders  signed  the  pledge 


MY   YOUNGEST  SON. 

today,  and  Howard  took  the  lead,  Mother.  I  wish  you 
could  have  seen  how  handsome  he  looked." 

"Why,  Howard!"  I  exclaimed,  "you  never  smoked 
nor  took  a  glass  of  liquor  in  your  life.  What  made 
you  sign  the  pledge?  People  will  think  you  a  re- 
formed drunkard." 

"I  may  be  free  from  such  vices,"  he  answered,  "but  T 
have  other  little  sins  which  ought  to  be  repented  of; 
pride,  for  instance."  And  his  half-reproachful  smile 
reminded  me  of  my  growing  worldliness. 

Sarah  had  very  little  time  to  help  about  the  work, 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCI-:  1 39 

as  she  attended  school.  I  thou.i^ht  best  to  f^ive  her 
some  light  task,  such  as  washing  the  supper  dishes 
and  emptying  the  flytraps.  She  cheerfully  washed  the 
dishes,  but  neglected  to  empty  the  flytraps. 

"Sarah,"  I  said  one  day,  when  dinner  was  nearly 
ready,  "be  quick  !  Put  those  traps  in  boiling  water  and 
clean  them  out." 

She  walked  to  the  table,  looked  from  one  trap  to 
another,  and  started  to  leave  the  room. 

"Sarah,  mind  me!  Empty  those  traps  at  once,  and 
be  quick  about  it !" 

She  came  back,  took  one  of  the  traps  and  a  mo- 
ment after  it  was  plunged  in  a  pan  of  suds.  She  had 
taken  another  when  one  of  the  boarders  came  in. 

"Mrs.  Giddings,"  he  said,  "see  how  Sadie  is  empty- 
ing the  flytrap !" 

I  looked,  and  there  stood  my  beautiful  darling  at 
the  door,  the  cover  ofif  the  trap  and  a  smile  on  her  face, 
as  she  watched  the  little  captives  escape  from  their 
prison  house. 

"Sarah!  Sarah!"  I  called.  "What  do  you  mean,  to 
let  those  flies  escape?" 

She  turned  with  a  kind  of  queenly  grace  and  I  was 
surprised  at  the  look  of  defiance  in  her  soft  hazel  eyes. 
"Mother,"  she  said,  "I  will  never  kill  a  fly.  If  I 
have  anything  to  do  with  the  traps.  I  shall  give  the 
little  things  their  freedom,  just  as  T  have  always  done." 
When  I  remembered  how  in  her  childhood  she  would 
allow  a  mosquito  to  feast  on  her  chubby  little  hands 
rather  than  kill  it.  I  told  her  that  of  course  if  she 
thought  it  a  sin  to  scald  flies,  she  need  not  empty 
the  traps. 

She  was  anxious  to  be  confirmed,  but  I  had  neither 
time  nor  monev  to  spare  to  get  her  confirmation  suit, 
which  I  desired  should  be  of  the  finest  material.  In 
a  year  or  two  I  would  be  able  to  keep  a  hired  girl. 
and  would  have  more  leisure.  Then  I  could  select 
my  darling's  veil  and  confirmation  clothes,  which  mtist 


140 


IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 


be  fit  for  a  queen.  She  surprised  me  one  day  by 
announcing  that  the  next  time  there  was  a  confirmation 
class  she  should  go  right  from  school  to  the  church 
and  be  confirmed  in  her  everyday  school-clothes ;  and 
I  seemed  to  wake,  as  if  from  sleep,  to  a  sense  of  my 
broken  vows.     As  I  looked  on  her  beautiful  face  my 


SARAH    GIDDINGS. 


heart  was  burdened  with  sudden  fear  lest  I  should  be 
chastised  through  some  sorrow  befalling  her.  In  ter- 
ror I  cried  to  the  Lord  to  let  the  punishment  for  my 
forgetfulness  rest  only  on  me.  Why  should  it  fall 
on  her — she  who  was  always  so  conscientious,  so  care- 
ful of  the  comfort  of  others?     How  often  she  stood 


A    PERSONAL   EXPERIENCE  I4I 

ready  with  mufflers  and  mittens  when  the  men  had 
a  hasty  call  to  take  the  train ;  with  careful  hands 
she  placed  the  long  line  of  overshoes  and  mittens  back 
of  the  stove  where  they  could  be  kept  warm  and  dry. 
Thoughts  of  the  sorrows  that  might  be  her  destined 
portion  rent  my  heart  with  grief  and  repentance,  that 
I  should  have  so  far  drifted  back  on  the  tide  of  world- 
liness  as  to  call  down  such  a  possible  judgment  on  my 
precious  one.  It  was  difficult  for  me  to  hide  my  tears 
of  discouragement  as  I  went  about  my  work,  feeling 
that  after  all  those  years  of  striving  I  thought  I  was 
as  far  from  perfection  as  when  I  first  resolved  to  live 
without  sin. 

I  paid  for  Sarah's  tuition  at  the  convent  school  at 
St.  Albans,  for  I  meant  that  she  should  have  a  finished 
education  and  grow  up  an  accomplished  as  well  as 
beautiful  woman.  , 

One  instance  of  the  peculiarly  tender  care  with  which 
I  watched  over  my  child  of  promise  may  here  be  given. 
At  school  the  teacher  one  day  asked  the  scholars  how 
many  had  seen  the  sun  rise.  All  hands  went  up  except 
Sarah's.  She  begged  that  I  would  waken  her  the 
next  morning  in  time  to  see  the  sun  rise,  but  so  ten- 
der was  I  of  her  that  morning  after  morning  slipped 
away.  I  could  not  bear  to  rouse  her  from  her  sweet 
slumbers,  and  so.  strange  as  it  may  seem,  she  never 
saw  a  sunrise  till  the  celestial  morning  broke  on  her 
vision. 

I  Peter  i  :;.  9,  11,  12,  15.  17.  23,  25. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

BOARDING-HOUSE  EXPERIENCE — MORE  WORKINGS  OF  THE 
ENEMIES — A  WORD  TO  THE  W.   C.  T.   U. 

About  a  year  after  Mr.  P.  began  to  send  me  board- 
ers, many  damaging  charges  began  to  circulate  regard- 
mg  him ;  charges  which  his  whole  life  and  appearance 
disproved.  He  finally  resigned  and  went  to  Chicago, 
where  he  obtained,  as  I  afterwards  heard,  another  and 
far  better  position  than  the  one  from  which  he  had 
been  driven. 

A  Free  Mason  took  his  place.  In  less  than  a  week  I 
saw  a  change  come  over  some  of  my  boarders.  They 
became  boisterous,  took  to  smoking  in  the  house,  and, 
finally,  informed  me  that  their  new  employer  was 
making  fun  of  them  for  having  joined  a  temperance 
society ;  for  not  daring  to  make  a  noise  in  my  house ; 
for  being  tied  to  a  woman's  apron  strings,  etc. 

One  night  they  asked  me  what  I  would  do  if  they 
got  drunk.  I  answered  that  in  that  case  they  would 
have  to  get  a  new  boarding-place,  as  I  should  certainly 
allow  no  drinking  in  my  house.  Whereupon  they 
gave  me  to  understand  that  they  should  break  their 
pledge,  and  take  a  glass  of  liquor  whenever  they 
wanted  it ;  that  their  employer  had  said  he  would  have 
no  temperance  man  about  him ;  any  one  who  worked 
for  him  must  be  man  enough  either  to  drink  or  let 
it  alone.  They  added  that  they  had  a  right  to  do 
as  they  pleased  in  their  own  rooms,  either  in  the  way 
of  carousing  or  bringing  in  company. 

In  words  quite  as  decided  I  gave  them  to  understand 
that  their  rooms  were  as  much  under  my  control  as 

142 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  I43 

any  part  of  tlie  house,  and  no  improper  company  would 
be  allowed. 

They  continued  growing  more  boisterous,  and  one 
night,  soon  after  this  conversation,  set  up  a  terrible 
howlini(  in  their  rooms.  I  told  them  the  next  morn- 
ing they  must  hnd  a  new  boarding-place,  or  behave. 
The  succeeding  night  things  were  no  better,  but  even 
worse,  for  they  kept  up  such  a  hideous  and  prolonged 
yelling  and  howling  that  none  of  the  household  were 
aljle  to  sleep.  Fearing  they  would  alarm  the  whole 
neighborhood,  I  went  out  at  2  o'clock  to  see  how  plain 
the  sounds  could  be  heard  on  the  street.  It  was  as 
if  pandemonium  was  let  loose. 

I  began  to  understand  the  motive  of  their  employer 
in  putting  them  up  to  make  such  a  disturbance,  as  it 
could  then  be  claimed  that  I  was  keeping  a  disorderly 
house.  I  said  very  little  to  the  men  the  next  morning, 
except  to  repeat  my  warning,  that  they  must  behave 
themselves  or  get  a  new  boarding-place ;  but  I  went 
and  reported  them  to  Mr.  E.,  telling  him  that  they 
claimed  he  was  putting  them  up  to  conduct  themselves 
in  this  disorderly  manner.  I  gave  him  notice,  at  the 
same  time,  that  if  he  paid  no  heed  to  my  complaint  I 
should  make  it  to  the  authorities,  and  if  that  proved 
unavailing,  to  the  ladies  of  St.  Albans. 

Mr.  E.  made  no  talk  with  me,  but  as  soon  as  the 
men  returned  from  their  trains  summarily  ordered 
them  to  leave.  They  had  not  calculated  upon  this,  and 
were  much  aggrieved  at  having  to  leave  so  good  a 
boarding-place.  "We  only  meant  to  keep  up  the  racket 
for  a  week,  because  he  dared  us  to  do  it,"  one  of  them 
said,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  adding  that  their  employer 
had  promised  to  raise  their  pay  if  they  would  show 
themselves  men  enough  to  make  a  disturbance.  Of 
course,  a  whole  week  of  such  riotous  proceedings 
would  have  caused  my  place  to  be  raided  as  a  disor- 
derly house.  That  this  was  the  intention  of  my  ene- 
mies   I    had    abundant    proof    afterwards.     The    men 


144  I-'^    "^^^    ENEMIES    LAND. 

obeyed  Mr.  E.,  and  left,  but  told  me  that  in  revenge 
they  proposed  to  get  roaring  drunk,  which  some  of 
them  did,  coming  back  a  short  time  after,  intoxicated, 
and  with  a  bottle  of  liquor.  They  found  another  board- 
ing-place that  night,  but  having  tasted  liquor  the  demon 
of  appetite  was  roused  so  that  they  kept  up  the  debauch 
for  several  days,  and  in  this  condition  visited  their 
employer's  office  and  loaded  him  with  drunken  abuse. 
I  heard  that  he  afterwards  said  he  "had  never  been 
so  imposed  upon  in  his  life."  , 

I  commend  the  above  incident  for  consideration 
among  the  W.  C.  T.  U.  women,  especially  those  who 
are  connected  with  the  department  of  work  among  rail- 
road men.  They  may  thus  be  led  to  see  that  the  char- 
acter of  railroad  officials  has  much  to  do  with  the 
morals  of  the  men  they  employ  and  also  to  investigate 
the  influence  of  the  Secret  Empire  on  the  cause  of 
temperance  and  good  order  generally.  Masonic  officials 
will  obey  the  bidding  of  the  lodge,  no  matter  how  much 
it  may  conflict  with  their  duty  to  the  men  they  employ. 

But  another  trouble  was  on  its  way,  beside  which 
all  my  other  trials  seemed  small.  Our  family  circle 
was  to  be  broken,  and  one  pet  lamb — the  most  dearly 
cherished — to  be  borne  away  to  fairer  scenes. 

Isaiah  34:16,  17;  Isaiah  35:4,  5. 


SARAH  AND  ANNA  GIDDINGS. 


CHAPTER  XIII, 


MY    CHILD     OF     PROMISE    CALLED     HOME — A     GLORIOUS 

VISION. 

I  had  often  told  my  daughter  Anna  that,  sooner 
or  later,  some  means  would  be  taken  to  make  us  trou- 
ble, but  she  did  not  share  my  fears.  This  riotous  be- 
havior on  the  part  of  our  boarders  took  her  by  sur- 
prise, and  the  shock  so  affected  her  that  I  became 
seriously  alarmed  for  her  health.  I  saw  she  was  fail- 
ing every  day  and  must  have  an  entire  change  of  occu- 
pation and  scene.  At  this  crisis  1  was  so  fortunate  as 
to  obtain  a  situation  for  her  at  Houghton  &  Button's, 
in  Boston ;  and  one  bright  spring  morning  she  departed 
for  her  new  place  of  employment,  Sarah  accompanying 
her  to  the  depot. 

"Mother,  I  am  sure  that  we  shall  never  see  Anna 
again,"  were  her  first  words  on  returning.  "She  had 
hardly  strength  enough  to  get  on  the  train." 

I  saw  that  she  herself  was  ill.  She  was  shaking  as 
if  in  an  ague  fit,  and  complained  of  cold  chills ;  but  I 
thought  it  only  a  nervous  affection,  caused  by  her  grief 
at  parting  with  her  sister,  and  tried  to  comfort  her 
with  bright  pictures  of  Anna's  restored  health.  This 
was  on  Wednesday,  and  till  Sunday,  3  P.  M.,  the  ner- 
vous chills,  as  I  thought  them,  continued,  but  inter- 
mittently, when  she  complained  of  being  "tired  out," 
and  took  to  her  bed.  The  physician  did  not  seem  to 
consider  her  case  serious,  but  assured  me  she  would 
be  all  right  in  a  few  days. 

He  came  daily  for  two  weeks.  Fortimately,  I  had 
money  enough  to  meet  the  unusual  demands  made  by 

147 


148    .  IN   THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

her  unexpected  illness,  and  paid  him  at  each  visit.  At 
the  end  of  the  fortnight  she  seemed  no  better.  Still 
she  only  complained  of  being  "tired."  I  then  changed 
doctors,  and  tried  another  physician.  He  doctored 
her  for  a  month,  but  all  the  time  she  grew  weaker. 
At  the  close  he  said  he  could  not  locate  her  disease, 
and  did  not  know  what  more  to  do  for  her.  A  con- 
sultation resulted  in  another  change  of  physicians. 
The  new  doctor  tried  a  regime  of  tonics  and  told 
me  she  had  serious  trouble  of  the  heart ;  that  if  he 
could  get  one  natural  beat  from  it  he  should  have 
some  hope,  but  it  fluttered  constantly  like  a  frightened 
bird.  He  asked  me  if  she  had  at  any  time  received  a 
severe  fright,  as  in  no  other  way  could  he  account  for 
this  feature  of  her  condition. 

I  could  think  of  nothing  but  the  excitement  of  her  sis- 
ter's going  away  and  the  disturbance  made  several 
weeks  before  by  the  boarders.  She  was  then  attending 
school,  and  my  anxiety  had  been  so  entirely  for  Anna, 
who  was  at  home  all  the  time,  that  I  had  not  noticed 
how  it  afifected  my  younger  daughter. 

I  was  fortunate  during  this  hour  of  trial  in  having  a 
good  hired  girl  and  an  excellent  nurse,  as  well  as  a 
sympathizing  friend  in  Miss  Mary  R.  Keith,  for  I  was 
so  overwhelmed  by  grief  as  to  be  entirely  unfitted  for 
either  doing  my  work  or  watching  by  my  child's 
sick  bed. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Sarah  was  promised  to 
the  Lord  before  her  birth,  but  I  had  failed  to  fulfill  my 
vow  to  bring  her  up  entirely  for  his  service.  A  few 
months  before  her  illness,  my  heart  had  been  much 
pained  by  seeing  what  appeared  to  me  a  growing 
tendency  to  wordliness.  One  day  she  begged  that  I 
would  allow  her  to  curl  her  front  hair  like  the  other 
girls,  saving  she  "could  be  just  as  good  as  with  smooth 
hair."  But  while  this  may  appear  to  most  mothers 
an  innocent  matter,  to  me  it  seemed  an  entering  wedge 
for  vanity,  and  I  refused.     Some  days  later  I  saw  that 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  149 

she  had  banged  and  curled  lier  hair.  At  first  I  was 
grieved.  Then  I  saw  that  the  more  fashionable  style 
became  her  better  than  smooth  hair,  and  passed  it 
over.  Every  day  I  grew  more  proud  of  her  beauty, 
and  anxious  to  dress  her  in  the  colors  which  showed 
it  off  to  the  best  advantage.  She  was  anxious  to 
leam  to  dance,  and  I  promised  to  let  her  go  to  dancing- 
school  the  next  winter.  1  grew  careless  of  her  spiritual 
well-being,  and  with  my  boarding-house  cares  and 
worldly  ambition,  became  forgetful  of  higlier  things. 

And  now  to  my  natural  grief  was  added  the  old 
trouble.  I  had  again  turned  away  from  God.  What 
excuse  could  there  be  for  my  folly,  when  he  had  been 
so  kind  to  me  in  times  past?  I  felt  as  if  it  would  be 
almost  mockery  for  me  to  call  again  upon  his  holy 
name. 

When  the  truth  became  apparent  that  she  could 
not  recover,  I  asked  her  if  she  would  be  willing  to  go, 
should  the  Lord  call  her.  "Oh,  I  cannot  die  so 
young,"  she  gasped;  "I  have  always  been  so  full  of 
fun."  She  lamented  that  she  had  never  done  any  good 
in  the  world,  saying  that  if  her  life  could  be  spared 
for  a  year,  she  would  give  up  all  worldly  pleasures  and 
every  thought  should  be  of  God.  I  answered  what  I 
indeed  felt  bitterly,  that  I  myself  had  encouraged  her 
in  those  pleasures  that  could  not  last,  but  told  her  that 
we  are  not  saved  by  works,  and,  if  she  had  faith  in 
Christ,  there  was  naught  to  fear;  that  this  life  was 
but  a  journey  from  one  world  to  another,  to  some  a 
long  and  wearisome  pilgrimage,  to  others  but  a  short 
and  flower-strewn  way,  and  that  she  was  one  of  the 
Lord's  favorites  whom  he  takes  to  himself  before  their 
eyes  are  dimmed  with  tears  or  their  tender  feet  have 
a  chance  to  wander  in  the  world's  thorny  ways  of  sin. 

She  looked  up  at  me  gratefully  wath  her  dark, 
speaking  eyes.  "Your  words,  dear  mother,  comfort 
me  like  an  angel's,"  she  said;  "I  am  willing  to  die;  I 
am   willing  to  go."     She  gave  away  her  little  keep- 


150  IN   THE   ENEMIES'*  LAND. 

sakes  with  a  loving  parting  word  for  each,  and  every 
shadow  seemed  to  roll  from  my  dear  child's  pathway. 

When  she  gave  her  little  red  pitcher  to  Baby  Grace, 
who  was  too  young  to  know  the  meaning  of  death,  she 
tried  to  represent  in  words  fitted  to  her  infant  compre- 
hension the  great  change  that  awaited  her. 

"Sadie  is  going  away  from  Gracie  a  long  way  off," 
she  said,  as  she  drew  her  little  sister's  sunny  head  down 
to  her's,  where  it  rested  weakly  on  the  pillow,  and  held 
her  in  a  long  and  loving  last  embrace.  "They  will 
put  Sadie  in  a  box,  and  Gracie  will  ride  in  a  carriage. 
Then  they  will  put  the  box  in  the  ground  and  cover  it 
up,  but  Gracie  mustn't  cry  or  feel  bad.  For  Sadie 
won't  be  there.  Sadie  will  be  up  in  the  sky.  Sadie 
can  never  come  back,  but  some  day,  if  Gracie  is  good, 
the  Lord  will  let  her  go  and  see  Sadie  away  up  in  the 
sky." 

She  very  tenderly  exhorted  her  brother  Howard  to 
become  a  Christian,  and  then  expressed  a  wish  to  talk 
with  the  boarders  on  the  same  subject,  saying  that 
in  this  way  she  might  be  permitted  to  do  a  little  work 
for  the  Lord  before  he  took  her  home. 

Her  beautiful  submission  should  have  reconciled  my 
rebellious  heart  to  let  her  go,  but  in  vain  Christian 
people,  and  especially  Miss  Keith,  who  was  a  dear  old 
saint,  tried  to  have  me  look  to  the  Lord  for  comfort, 
and  reminded  me  that  his  grace  was  sufficient  for  me ; 
it  was  impossible  to  receive  comfort  from  any  source. 
My  faith  failed  me,  and  I  gave  up  to  despair,  as  en- 
tirely as  if  I  had  never  known  the  Lord,  and  felt  in 
my  heart  I  would  never  again  call  on  his  holy  name. 
Yet  my  kind  heavenly  father  was  but  preparing  to 
teach  me  another  lesson  of  his  wonderful,  unchanging 
love. 

On  May  27,  1889,  I  was  standing  by  her  bedside. 
It  had  been  a  beautiful  day,  and  the  sun  was  near  its 
setting.  She  roused  suddenly  and  opened  her  eyes 
with  a  far-away  expression  of  surprise,  while  a  beau- 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  15 1 

tiful,  happy  look  came  over  her  face.  Then  she  closed 
her  eyes  again,  wearily,  as  if  what  she  saw  was  a  mis- 
taken fancy.  She  roused  up  the  second  time  and 
opened  her  eyes  with  the  same  pleased  expression,  suc- 
ceeded by  the  same  disappointed  look,  as  if  so  raptur- 
ous a  sight  could  not  be  true. 

Again  she  lay  in  a  seeming  stupor,  but  when  she 
opened  her  eyes  the  third  time  I  saw  a  joyous  look 
come  over  her  glorious  face,  as  if  she  knew  she  was 
not  mistaken,  i  caught  my  breath  as  she  seemed  to 
slowly  change  before  my  eyes  into  a  glorious  vision 
of  unearthly  beauty.  Her  smiling  lips  moved  as  if  to 
speak,  but  no  sound  came  therefrom.  She  then  nodded 
her  beautiful  head  as  if  to  say,  "Yes;  I  am  coming." 
And  then,  in  a  moment,  the  spirit  fled,  leaving  the 
glory  still  upon  her  upturned  face.  Even  the  Grim 
King  of  Terrors  seemed  to  respect  her  beautiful  fonn, 
for  she  did  not  look  as  one  dead.  Her  flesh  still  re- 
tained the  hues  of  life,  as  if  over  her  death  could  have 
no  dominion.  My  grief  all  vanished  at  this  token  of 
God's  love  as  my  beautiful  darling  passed  into  a 
glorious  immortality.  The  peace  which  passeth 
understanding  once  more  took  possession  of  my  heart, 
and  I  could  only  praise  God  for  his  goodness  and 
loving  kindness  to  me  and  my  family  in  sending  this 
angel  into  my  home  though  for  so  brief  a  time. 
Without  a  pang  she  had  passed  away  from  all  earthly 
trouble,  leaving  behind  her  only  sweet  and  precious 
memories. 

It  had  been  feared  that  I  would  lose  my  reason,  but, 
to  everybody's  astonishment,  they  found  me  rejoicing 
and  praising  God.  With  the  aid  of  Miss  Keith,  my 
own  hands  robed  my  darling  for  the  tomb  wdthout 
shedding  a  tear.  I  seemed  overwhelmed,  not  with 
grief,  but  with  joy  at  the  marvelous  way  in  which 
the  divine  goodness  had  been  made  to  pass  before  me 
in  that  vision  of  the  glory  into  which  she  had  entered. 

Thus,  when  I  had  given  up  in  despair  and  refused 


152  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

to  pray,  the  Lord  again  gave  me  proof  of  his  wonder- 
ful, unchangeable  love. 

I  trust  the  vision  of  my  darling's  glorious  departure 
may  not  have  been  in  vain,  and  that  all  readers  of 
these  pages  may  be  given  grace  to  follow  in  the  foot- 
steps of  our  Lord  and  enter  into  the  peace  and  ever- 
lasting joy  of  God. 

Rev.  14:1,  5,  12,  13. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

4 

A  CRAFTY    PLOT  FOILED. — MY   GOODS   DETAINED   UNLAW- 
FULLY,  AGAIN      I     AM      DELIVERED     OUT     OF     THEIR 

HANDS. 

During  my  daughter's  sickness,  I  am  sorry  to  say, 
several  of  my  boarders  took  advantage  of  this  time  of 
sorrow  to  leave  me  with  unpaid  bills.  I  was  short  of 
money  even  to  pay  for  my  child's  casket,  but  the 
undertaker  kindly  agreed  to  trust  me  until  July  first. 
In  this  emergency  I  decided  to  borrow  three  hundred 
dollars  from  the  bank,  which  the  president  ofifered  me 
at  a  surprisingly  low  rate  of  interest,  after  he  learned 
that  my  place  was  insured  for  six  hundred  dollars 
and  free  of  all  encumbrance. 

About  half  an  hour  after  my  call  at  the  bank  a 
stranger  came  to  the  house  and  asked  to  see  my 
insurance  policy,  saying  he  had  been  sent  by  the 
company  to  look  it  over.  I  let  him  take  the  document. 
He  glanced  it  over,  threw  down  seventy-five  cents  on 
the  table,  put  the  policy  in  his  pocket  and  walked 
off.  Before  I  could  recover  from  my  astonishment 
I  received  a  call  from  the  bank  president. 

He  seemed  ill  at  case,  and  after  expressions  of 
sympathy  for  my  recent  bereavement — he  was  very 
kind  and  courteous  in  his  manner — gently  reproved 
me  for  attempting  to  deceive  him  in  regard  to  the  in- 
surance on  my  place,  as  he  had  found,  upon  inquirv. 
that  there  was  none,  but  he  added  that  he  thought 
the  property  worth  enough  to  be  good  security  for  three 
hundred  dollars. 

"I  have  not  deceived  you,"  I  said.  ''Mv  house  was 
insured  at  the  time  I  left  your  office."     I  then  related 

153 


154  IN    THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

how  the  agent  had  called  and  taken  away  my  policy, 
and  pointed  to  the  seventy-five  cents  still  lying  on 
the  table,  in  corroboration  of  my  words.  I  received 
the  surprising  explanation  that  on  his  making  inquiry 
of  the  agent,"the  latter  had  told  him  that  there  was  no 
insurance  on  the  house;  that  it  was  not  worth  fifty 
dollars ;  that  no  one  would  insure  it,  and  conveyed  to 
his  (the  president's)  mind  that  I  was  a  dishonest 
woman,  who  was  tr>ang  to  misrepresent  my  house. 

"Did  the  agent  actually  insure  your  place?" 

"Certainly."  I  answered;  and  stated  what  sums  I 
had  paid  and  the  different  dates. 

He  sat  for  a  few  moments  making  mental  calcula- 
tions, and  then  said  that  seventy-five  cents  would  be 
about  the  sum  due  me  if  the  policy  was  canceled. 
With  entirely  changed  manner  he  said  he  would  look 
at  my  place,  and  felt  sure  that,  with  my  three  acres 
and  a  half  of  land,  they  afforded  ample  security.  A 
day  or  two  after  he  came  down  again  in  a  state  of 
greater  disturbance,  and  said,  with  even  more  serious- 
ness than  on  the  former  occasion,  that  he  should  think 
I  would  naturally  suppose  that  he  would  make  in- 
quiries of  the  town  clerk.  He  had  done  so,  and  re- 
ceived word  that  there  was  a  mortgage  on  my  place 
held  bv  a  man  in  Enosburg. 

I  told  him  it  was  an  old  mortgage,  paid  long  as-o, 
and  produced  the  papers.  The  last  payment  on  the 
note  was  Aug.  14,  1880.  I  noticed  at  the  time  that 
it  had  not  been  properly  discharged,  but  the  holder 
told  me  to  leave  it  with  him  and  he  would  see  that  \t 
was  done.  When  I  went  after  the  mortgage  he  said 
it  had  been  discharged  on  the  town  record,  and  that 
was  all  that  was  necessarv,  as  mv  holdinn-  the  papers 
was  sufficient  nroof  that  it  was  paid.  He  finallv  wrote 
the  word  "Paid"  and  handed  back  the  paper.  I  ureed 
that  he  write  "Discharged."  which  he  finallv  did,  but 
refused  to  sis^n  his  name.  A?  he  bad  always  before  thk 
treated  me  in  a  very  kind  and  brotherly  way,  I  did 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  155 

not  like  to  vex  him  by  persisting  in  my  request,  and 
took  the  paper,  though  tears  were  in  my  eyes  when 
I  left  his  house. 

I  liad  paid  him  nine  per  cent  interest,  though  the 
legal  interest  in  Vermont  is  but  six  per  cent.  My 
husband  had  contracted  the  debt  and  agreed  to  pay 
this  unlawful  rate.  He  had  not  paid  a  cent,  however, 
on  either  the  principal  or  the  interest.  The  man  who 
now  refused  to  properly  discharge  the  mortgage  was 
in  possession  of  thirty-five  dollars  or  more  obtained 
by  clear  usury,  but  the  attorney  who  figured  it  up 
told  me  it  would  be  no  use  to  try  to  collect  it  back,  as 
to  do  so  would  cost  me  as  much  as  the  amount  was 
worth. 

I  showed  the  mortgage  to  the  bank  president,  and 
he  seemed  satisfied,  saying  that  he  would  himself  at- 
tend to  the  matter.  A  few  davs  after  he  called  again 
with  the  mortgage,  and  remarked  that  he  had  never 
had  such  a  time  in  his  life  before  as  in  trying  to  get 
it  discharged.  He  had  written  to  the  mortgagee  to 
no  purpose,  and  finally  had  to  go  to  his  house  and  de- 
mand that  it  be  done.  Opening  the  paper,  he  showed 
me  that  it  was  at  last  properly  discharged  on  the  sec- 
ond of  Tune.  t88o.  But.  though  now  dulv  canceled, 
he  finally  refused  to  lend  me  the  monev.  for  he  saw 
that  T  was  in  some  mysterious  way  the  victim  of  secret 
machinations,  and  feared  to  get  mixed  up  with  affairs 
he  did  not  understand. 

The  landlord  had  not  called  for  his  rent  for  two 
months,  as  T  sunposed,  through  sympathy  on  account 
of  my  trouble :  but  about  a  week  after  my  daughter's 
death  he  called,  and  in  a  ver\^  angry  and  excited  man- 
ner demanded  his  rent. 

"Look  here !"  he  roughlv  exclaimed,  "vou  must  nav 
me  mv  rent  or  T  will  nut  an  attachment  on  vour  n1ace 
in  EnosburQ-  and  sell  it  in  two  weeks  at  auction." 

T  at  once  handed  him  the  twcntv  dollars  due  him. 
He  demanded  fourteen  dollars  in  addition  for  a  stove 


156  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

which  was  standing  in  the  house  at  the  time  I  moved  in, 
and  which  I  had  never  bought.  I  refused  to  pay  for 
it,  but  was  met  by  the  threat  that  if  I  did  not  he  would 
put  an  attachment  on  my  place  in  Enosburg  and  sell 
it  in  fourteen  days. 

I  soon  learned  that  my  landlord  was  buying  up  my 
debt  accounts  with  the  evident  desire  to  rob  me  of  my 
home.  I  asked  an  attorney  if  it  was  possible  for  him 
to  do  as  he  had  threatened.  He  thought  I  would  be 
allowed  thirty  days'  grace ;  but  if  it  could  be  made  to 
appear  that  I  was  unable  to  pay  my  debts,  he  was  not 
sure  that  my  landlord  could  not  make  his  threat  good, 
and  sell  it  in  two  weeks.  Again  I  could  see  the  im- 
print of  the  hidden  hand,  and  knew  I  must  do  some- 
thing speedily  to  checkmate  its  secret  plottings.  I 
mortgaged  my  place  to  my  daughter  Anna.  She  took 
the  morning  train  and  passed  through  Enosburg  Falls 
to  North  Enosburg,  walking  from  there  to  the  Centre, 
a  distance  of  two  miles. 

She  was  not  strong,  and  the  road  was  ver}^  rough, 
so  that  when  she  reached  the  residence  of  the  town 
clerk,  having  hurried  all  the  way  in  terror  lest  she 
might  be  too  late,  she  was  nearly  exhausted.  The 
town  clerk  was  away,  but  she  explained  the  very  urgent 
nature  of  her  business  to  his  wife,  who  assured  her 
that  no  attachment  had  yet  been  put  upon  the  place, 
and  that  her  mortgage  should  go  on  record  first — 
which  was  her  legal  right  as  having  arrived  first. 

My  daughter  stayed  till  she  saw  her  mortgage  duly 
recorded.  A  day  or  two  after  my  landlord  notified  me 
that  he  had  put  an  attachment  on  my  place  and  would 
sell  it  in  two  weeks.  I  then  wrote  to  the  town  clerk 
to  see  if  this  was  really  so.  His  answer  I  will  here 
give  in  full : 

"Enosrurg  Falls,  June  24.  1889. 

"Mrs.  GiDniNGS :  I  have  looked  the  records  over  as 
far  as  1864,  and  do  not  find  any  mortgage  on  the  prem- 
ises owned  by  you  in  this  town  except  the  one  given 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  I57 

to  Anna  Giddinj^^s  on  the  20th  of  June,  1889.  I  also 
find  a  writ  of  attachment  filed  here  June  22,  1889,  in 

favor  of  H.  P .  Very  truly  yours, 

"W.  W.  Hutchinson, 
"Town  Clerk,  Enosburg-,  Vt." 

The  undertaker,  as  before  stated,  agreed  to  wait 
until  the  first  of  July  for  his  pay,  which  I  could  then 
easily  make  out  from  the  board-money.  But  on  the 
22d  of  June,  only  three  weeks  from  the  time  of  my 
daughter's  death,  the  account  for  her  casket  had  been 
purchased  and  included  in  the  attachment  by  my  land- 
lord, a  man  said  to  be  worth  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  and  who  could  not,  with  his  purchased  ac- 
counts, bring  a  hundred  dollars  against  my  place. 

A  day  or  two  after  I  was  visited  by  the  sheriff  from 
Enosburg,  in  a  state  of  great  excitement. 

"Mrs.  Giddings,"  he  exclaimed,  "your  daughter  can- 
not hold  a  mortgage  on  your  property  for  money 
earned  while  she  was  a  minor.  You  must  have  that 
mortgage  discharged  at  once  or  stand  a  trial  for 
fraud!" 

I  told  him  I  was  perfectly  willing  to  stand  a  trial, 
and,  finding  he  could  not  frighten  me,  he  went  away. 
This  gave  me  a  chance  to  test  whether  my  daughter's 
mortgage  would  hold.  I  consulted  an  attorney.  He 
believed  it  would,  and  said  if  allowed  by  the  court  it 
would  nullify  the  attachment,  and  the  accounts  which 

Mr.  H,  P had  purchased  could  not  be  collected. 

It  is  probable  that  he,  too,  consulted  an  attorney,  and 
found  that  he  hnd  gone  too  fast  and  too  far,  for  soon 
after  I  returned  home  his  carriage  drove  up  to  the  door, 
and  his  crestfallen  attitude  show^ed  that  he  knew  him- 
self beaten. 

"I  have  often  said  I  would  never  have  anything  to 
do  with  a  woman,"  he  remarked,  discontentedly,  as  he 
entered.  "They  will  always  contrive  somehow  to  get 
the  upper  hand  of  me;  but  I  supposed  you  were  an 


158  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

honest  woman.  I  never  thought  you  were  one  that 
would  take  such  a  mean  advantage  of  me." 

''In  what  way  have  I  taken  advantage  of  you?"  I 
asked. 

"By  refusing  to  pay  these  accounts  which  I  have 
bought  up  honestly." 

"I  have  not  refused.  I  will  pay  them  cheerfully  if 
you  will  take  off  the  attachment  and  pay  your  own 
costs." 

This  he  agreed  to  do,  if  I  would  hire  the  three  hun- 
dred dollars  of  him.  I  consented  to  this,  as  the  best 
thing  I  could  do  under  the  circumstances ;  but  it  should 
be  remembered  that  I  paid  double  the  interest  I  would 
have  done  had  not  my  enemies  prevented  me  from 
hiring  the  money  of  the  bank.  After  my  daughter's 
death  I  had  discerned  so  plainly  the  secret  working  of 
their  unseen  hand  in  my  afifairs  that  I  decided  to  leave 
Vermont  altogether,  and  move  to  a  town  in  New 
Hampshire,  where  I  had  written  to  obtain  situations 
for  myself  and  daughter  in  the  woolen  mill.  Being  in 
a  hurry  to  go,  I  went  with  him  at  once  to  the  attor- 
ney's office,  where  the  money  was  paid  over  and  a  new 
insurance  policy  drawn  up  on  my  place  for  three  hun- 
dred dollars,  though  the  agent  had  declared  it  worth- 
less and  canceled  my  policy  to  work  me  injury  and 
prejudice  me  at  the  bank. 

My  debts  were  all  paid  but  the  grocery  bill,  which 
the  holder,  Mr.  Shattuck,  had  refused  to  sell  to  Mr. 

H.   P ,  and   for  the  payment  of  which  he  most 

kindly  agreed  to  wait.  The  day  we  were  to  start  for 
New  Hampshire  my  daughter  Anna  went  down  to  the 
station  to  see  that  our  goods  were  properly  shipped, 
but  returned  in  such  a  state  of  nervous  excitement  that 
she  was  scarcely  able  to  speak. 

"Mother !"  she  gasped ;  "they  have  put  an  attach- 
ment on  our  goods,  and  claim  that  Sarah's  casket  has 
not  been  paid  for." 

The  reader  will  not  wonder,  remembering  how  brief 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  I59 

tlic  time  which  had  elapsed  since  her  sister's  death, 
that  she  should  nearly  faint  at  the  false  and  cruel 
charge  so  heartlessly  made,  with  the  evident  intention 
to  disgrace  us  as  dishonest  people  who  were  fleeing 
to  another  state  to  escape  paying  our  just  debts. 

I  was  prepared  for  something  of  the  kind,  and  as 
soon  as  she  was  able,  I  returned  with  her  to  the  freight 
depot,  taking  with  me  the  receipted  bill  of  the  under- 
taker. 

I  showed  it  to  the  men  in  charge,  and  asked  to 
have  my  goods  released. 

"Pay  ten  dollars  and  we  will  forward  the  goods." 

"I  will  not  pay  ten  cents." 

"Are  we  to  have  all  this  trouble  for  nothing?" 

"Get  your  pay  from  the  parties  who  have  caused 
the  trouble,"  I  answered.     "I  am  not  responsible." 

He  still  refused  to  release  the  goods,  but  while  I 
was  considering  what  to  do  a  man  who  had  been  list- 
ening to  the  conversation  said  to  me  in  a  low  voice : 
"There  has  been  no  attachment  placed  on  your  goods. 
Don't  pay  him  a  cent."  Having  said  this,  he  im- 
mediately passed  on,  as  if  he  did  not  wish  the  remark 
to  be  overheard. 

In  a  short  time  another  man  came  by,  also  a  stranger, 
and  asked  me  if  T  had  any  debts  in  the  state. 

"No,  sir;  only  a  grocery  bill  to  Mr.  Shattuck,  who 
has  agreed  to  wait,  and  knows  of  my  moving." 

"They  are  working  some  kind  of  a  sly  game  that  I 
don't  understand.  I  think  they  have  some  one  out  try- 
ing to  find  an  unsettled  account  against  you  ;  but  they 
have  no  business  whatever  to  hold  your  goods." 

He  passed  on  like  the  other  man,  but  turned  and 
came  back.  "There,"  he  said,  "the  man  with  the 
brown  coat  is  the  one  who  is  responsible  for  detaining 
your  goods.  He  is  making  you  all  this  trouble,  and  I 
would  advise  you  to  see  an  attorney  about  it.  You 
can  make  it  a  dear  job  for  him  if  you  try." 

I  waited  long  enough  to  throw  off  suspicion  from 


l6o  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

my  informant.     Then  I  stepped  up  to  "the  man  with 
the  brown  coat." 

"I  am  sure  the  company  is  not  responsible  for  this 
annoyance,"  I  said  calmly ;  "but  I  shall  see  an  attorney 
at  once  and  find  out  if  you  are  upheld  by  law  in  thus 
keeping  my  goods." 

His  manner  suddenly  changed.  He  went  into  his 
office,  but  soon  returned,  and  with  so  many  expressions 
of  regret  and  sympathy  that  it  led  me  to  think  he 
must  be  one  of  Mr.  Gidding's  Masonic  brethren ;  he 
assured  me  that  if  I  saw  an  attorney  it  would  only 
make  me  expense,  and  that  my  goods  would  be  re- 
leased at  once. 

We  missed  our  train  in  consequence  of  this  long 
delay,  and  were  obliged  to  take  a  night  train,  but  we 
went  on  our  way  rejoicing,  for  as  our  destination  was  a 
small  place  off  the  line  of  the  railroad,  w^e  hoped  to 
escape  the  secret  power  which  had  thus  far  followed 
us  up. 

But  vain  was  our  hope.  About  a  week  after  our 
arrival,  I  went  to  work  in  the  woolen  mill.  I  liked 
the  work,  and  found  pleasant  associates  among  the 
hands.  I  did  my  best  to  make  sure  that  all  the  cloth 
which  came  from  my  loom  was  perfect,  and  cleared 
forty-five  dollars  a  month.  After  a  few  weeks  I  was 
changed  about  from  one  loom  to  another.  This  did 
not  seem  to  me  strange,  supposing  it  was  more  for  the 
company's  convenience,  but  I  noticed  significant  looks 
exchanged  between  the  hands.  I  was  finally  put  upon 
a  loom  in  the  back  part  of  the  factory.  Shortly  after 
one  of  the  girls  said  to  me :  'T  am  sorry  you  are  not 
going  to  have  work  in  the  factory  much  longer." 

I  asked,  in  surprise,  what  made  her  think  so. 

"This  is  a  poor  loom  and  poor  warp,"  she  answered. 
"When  the  overseer  wants  to  get  rid  of  any  of  the  help, 
he  puts  them  to  work  on  this  loom,  where  thev  can't 
make  much.     Then  they'll  get  discouraged  and  leave, 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  l6l 

or  else  so  much  fault  is  found  with  their  work  that 
they  are  discharged." 

The  action  of  the  overseer  in  giving  me  this  poor 
loom  occasioned  much  resentment  among  the  hands, 
who  all  knew  the  reason.  One  young  man  who  had 
been  a  loom-fixer,  and  an  excellent  weaver,  took  it 
upon  himself  to  see  that  my  loom  was  kept  in  order. 
With  this  help,  I  succeeded  in  working  out  my  warp 
without  complaint. 

For  two  or  three  weeks  I  was  out  of  work,  contrary 
to  the  arrangements  I  had  made  with  the  company,  by 
wiiich  my  daughter  and  myself  had  been  guaranteed 
employment.  She,  by  the  way,  had  been  given  none 
at  all.  I  finally  went  to  the  superintendent,  and  told 
him  I  thought  we  ought  to  be  furnished  with  work  ac- 
cording to  agreement.  He  answered  that  a  woman 
with  so  large  a  family  as  mine  ought  not  to  expect  to 
work  in  a  mill.  He  preferred  young  girls,  and  did  not 
mean  in  future  to  hire  women  with  families.  I  told 
him  I  had  stated  my  age  when  writing  to  the  com- 
pany and  it  was  understood  before  I  came  there. 
Still,  if  I  was  too  old  to  work  for  them,  what  objection 
could  there  be  to  giving  my  daughter  a  loom  according 
to  agreement? 

Tliis  he  refused  to  do,  and  when  I  urged  him  to  state 
his  reasons  he  replied,  insolently,  "You  have  kept  that 
girl  in  the  shade  too  long.  She  must  come  out  now 
and  take  what  she  can  get  to  do." 

"Please  explain  yourself,"  I  said. 

He  only  repeated  his  previous  remark. 

I  asked  him  again  who  had  told  him  of  my  exceeding 
carefulness  for  my  daughter.  He  looked  embarrassed, 
turned  red,  and  was  silent.  I  could  not  but  draw  my 
own  conclusions  that  he  was  a  ]\Iason,  and  had  been 
informed  by  some  of  his  Masonic  brethren. 

"Please  explain  how  you  came  to  know  so  much 
about  my  daughter,"  I  repeated. 

"Her  looks  are  enough  to  show  every  one  that  she 


l62  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

has  never  suffered  the  hardships  common  to  people  in 
your  circumstances,"  he  said  at  last. 

'■"Well,  if  I  am  too  old  to  work  in  the  factory,  there 
is  an  empty,  boarding-house  which  belongs  to  the  com- 
pany. I  understand  they  are  anxious  to  have  it  occu- 
pied. I  shall  be  pleased  to  move  in  there  and  take 
factory  boarders,  if  you  will  allow." 

He  refused  in  words  that  I  will  not  repeat,  adding 
some  vague  and  certainly  uncalled-for  threat  that  we 
"would  yet  have  to  come  down  and  find  what  real  pov- 
erty was." 

His  threat  did  not  disturb  me,  however.  I  knew 
that  I  had  enough  money  to  keep  myself  and  family  in 
comfort  for  a  year  or  two,  even  if  no  work  was  forth- 
coming. Still  we  did  not  intend  to  sit  down  and  fold 
our  hands.  I  had  already  two  boarders,  which  was  a 
very  material  help.  Anna  wrote  to  her  old  employer, 
Houghton  &  Dutton,  and  immediately  received  a  tele- 
gram in  response,  telling  her  to  report  for  work  on 
Monday. 

She  started  the  next  day,  but  first  went,  in  company 
with  me,  to  bid  farewell  to  the  factory  people  among 
whom  we  had  a  few  warm  friends.  There  was  a  spice 
of  pardonable  mischief  in  her  farewell  to  the  superin- 
tendent, nor  could  I  refrain  from  thanking  him  for  the 
kindness  he  had  done  her,  as  it  had  been  the  means  of 
procuring  her  a  much  better  situation.  I  assured  him 
his  kindness  would  be  long  remembered  by  myself  and 
family. 

I  think  some  of  the  help  informed  Mr.  C,  the  owner 
of  the  mill,  of  the  treatment  we  had  received,  and  a 
few  days  after  my  daughter  went  to  Boston,  he  called 
at  my  home  and  expressed  great  regret.  He  had  sup- 
posed that  we  were  both  at  work  in  the  mill.  When 
he  learned  the  contrary,  he  had  inquired  the  reason  of 
the  superintendent,  who  gave  him  no  satisfactory  ex- 
planation. But  why  did  I  not  take  his  boarding- 
house  ?  he  asked ;  I  would  find  it  more  profitable. 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  1 63 

When  I  told  him  I  had  appUed  for  the  house  and 
been  refused,  he  said  1  "should  have  it  at  once,  and 
move  right  in." 

A  little  while  after  he  called  again  in  a  state  of  the 
greatest  anger  and  excitement,  and  informed  me  that 
he  had  seen  the  superintendent  and  received  a  point- 
blank  refusal.  When  expostulated  with  for  what  Mr. 
C.  naturally  considered  an  unwarrantable  assumption 
of  authority,  the  superintendent  only  looked  in  his 
face,  and  in  an  insolent  manner  made  the  astounding 
statement  that  he  (Mr.  C.)  had  nothing  to  say  in  re- 
gard to  affairs  connected  with  the  mill ;  that  he  had  full 
control  over  the  property,  and  Mr.  C.  could  not  draw  a 
dollar  except  with  his  consent. 

As  he  told  me  this  he  paced  up  and  down  my  little 
parlor  in  a  state  of  the  greatest  excitement  and  indigna- 
tion. He  was  a  single  man  and  sole  owner  of  all  this 
large  property,  while  his  superintendent  had  begun  life 
in  the  mill  not  worth  a  dollar.  The  strangest  thing 
about  this  strange  revelation  was  its  truth.  By  slow 
degrees  this  man  had  contrived  to  worm  his  way  into 
the  confidence  of  his  employer  till  the  latter  promoted 
him  to  be  superintendent.  But  when  the  papers  were 
drawn  up  he  had  carefully  managed,  by  having  cer- 
tain words  inserted  in  such  a  way  that  they  would  not 
be  noticed,  or  their  meaning  understood  by  a  non-legal 
mind,  as  to  actually  appoint  himself  the  same  as 
guardian  over  Mr.  C.,  so  far  as  the  mill  property  was 
concerned.  Though  sole  owner,  as  I  have  said,  he 
could  not  draw  a  dollar  of  the  funds  or  have  his  de- 
mands fulfilled  except  as  the  superintendent  saw  fit 
to  allow,  in  any  of  its  affairs. 

Among  the  strange  providences  which  have  been 
so  manifest  throughout  my  life.  I  deem  it  not  the  least 
strange  that  the  Lord  should  send  me  to  another  state 
in  order  to  make  me  the  unconscious  instrument  of 
bringing  to  light  the  guileful  arts  of  this  old  deceiver, 


!-. 


164  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

by  which  he  had  contrived  to  so  get  the  advantage  of 
his  kind  friend  and  benefactor. 

Mr.  C.  took  measures  at  once  to  get  back  the  control 
of  his  property.  I  was  told  that  he  had  not  success  in 
New  Hampshire,  but  he  finally  went  to  Massachusetts, 
and  employed  Boston  lawyers.  After  some  two  or 
three  years  of  vexatious  litigation,  he  succeeded  in 
getting  possession  of  his  property,  and  was  once  more 
a  free  man. 

I  was  afterward  informed  that  this  superintendent 
was  a  Free  Mason ;  another  illustration  of  what  my 
whole  acquaintance  with  the  order  has  proved,  and  that 
it  is  not  safe  to  trust  Masons  in  any  capacity,  private 
or  public.  I  do  not  mean  that  there  are  no  reliable 
Masons,  but  had  Mr.  C.  been  a  member  of  the  order 
(which  he  was  not),  and  an  honest  man  (which  he 
was)  and  bound  to  keep  all  a  brother's  villainous 
secrets,  he  would  have  been  at  a  much  worse  disad- 
vantage. Masons  may  wrong  and  defraud  those 
without,  but  the  great  object  of  the  system  is  to  deceive 
and  enslave  those  within. 

My  chief  object  in  writing  this  book  has  been  to 
honor  and  glorify  God,  who  kept  me  from  harm  during 
all  those  years,  and  to  show  that  such  is  the  fact,  and 
to  warn  the  honest  Mason,  especially  if  poverty  or  mis- 
fortune overtakes  him,  that  he  can  never  know  when 
or  where  the  cords  of  secret  iniquity  may  be  tightened 
around  himself  and  his  helpless  family,  even  to  the 
extent  of  demanding  his  most  cherished  object  of  af- 
fection to  be  sacrificed  on  the  unclean  altars  of  the 
lodge  Moloch. 

Ezekiel  viii  :i2-i8. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MY  son's  fatal  illness. — A  LESSON  OF  IMMORTALITY. 

On  Thanksgiving  Day  1  was  expecting  my  son 
Howard  home  from  Potsdam,  and  was  much  disap- 
pointed when  he  did  not  arrive.  He  had  been  detained 
at  St.  Albans  by  a  severe  hemorrhage,  which  was  the 
precursor  of  his  last  fatal  illness. 

1  wrote  to  his  father  of  his  condition.  He  came  at 
once,  and  from  that  time  took  almost  the  entire  care 
of  his  invalid  son.  Like  most  consumptives,  Howard 
was  hopeful  and  clung  to  life.  He  had  an  idea  that  he 
would  recover  if  he  could  go  to  Colorado,  and  twice 
had  his  trunk  packed,  ready  to  go,  but  was  each  time 
taken  with  severe  hemorrhages  that  weakened  him  so 
he  was  unable  to  leave  home. 

Directly  after  getting  my  divorce,  Mr.  Giddings 
obtained  a  pension,  with  some  back  pay,  which  did  not, 
however,  date  back  as  far  as  the  time  when  I  first  made 
application  for  him.  He  purchased  a  farm  in  Johnson, 
Vt.,  and  with  his  first  money  made  a  payment  on  it. 
Afterwards  his  pension  was  increased  to  twenty  dol- 
lars a  month.  With  this  he  bought  a  house  and  lot  in 
the  village.  He  was  unable  to  work  on  the  farm,  and 
I  foresaw  that  he  would  soon  lose  both  places,  as  they 
were  heavily  mortgaged.  He  wished  to  pay  Howard's 
board  and  his  own,  saying  he  had  never  done  anything 
for  his  family,  and  asked  me  to  buy  the  house  and  lot 
in  Johnson  and  apply  on  their  board.  We  moved  to 
Johnson,  and  he  gave  me  a  deed.  Not  liking  the  loca- 
tion, I  sold  it  for  three  hundred  dollars. 

A  few  davs  after  a  man  came  in  who  told  me  tliat 
Mr.  Giddings  owed  him,  and  if  I  did  not  give  up  the 
money  at  once  he  would  put  me  behind  prison  bars. 

165 


l66  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

I  told  him  Mr.  Giddings  owed  me.  I  had  the  money 
and  I  kept  it. 

A  few  weeks  after  I  moved  back  to  Enosburg.  I 
had  been  absent  five  years.  I  received  no  calls  from 
any  one,  and  was  the  subject  of  much  unfriendly  gos- 
sip, because  I  allowed  the  sick  father  of  my  children 
to  board  with  me.  I  saw  his  bodily  health  slowly  fail- 
ing, and  was  thankful  to  have  him  united  with  his  fam- 
ily during  what  proved  to  be  the  last  three  years  of  his 
life. 

During  my  absence  my  homestead  had  been  let,  and 
I  found  about  twelve  dollars'  worth  of  manure  had 
been  illegally  taken  away,  and  my  meadow  badly  cut 
up.  The  farmer  who  bought  the  manure  explained 
this  unjust  act  by  saying  that  the  tenant  owed  him 
eight  dollars  which  he  could  not  get  any  other  way. 
It  would  not  pay  to  have  a  lawsuit,  so  I  had  to  pass 
over  this  petty  wrong,  as  I  had  been  obliged,  for  a  like 
reason,  to  pass  over  so  many  others.  This  may  seem 
a  trivial  matter,  but  the  poor  can  only  be  robbed  in 
small  ways,  which  they  feel  quite  as  much  as  the  rich 
feel  losses  a  hundred  times  as  great. 

Howard's  health  continued  to  fail,  yet  it  was  not  his 
bodily  condition  which  filled  me  with  the  greatest 
anxiety.  Before  leaving  home  he  had  always  been  a 
very  religious  boy,  but  I  was  soon  conscious  of  a 
change  in  him  that  greatly  pained  me.  Previous  to 
this  he  had  been  all  a  mother's  heart  could  desire,  and 
my  greatest  hope  and  comfort.  Alas !  a  few  years  of 
contact  with  the  world  brought  to  me  the  sad  experi- 
ence which  has  been  that  of  so  many  mothers,  before 
and  since.  Young  boys  sent  from  home  soon  grow  so 
wise  in  their  own  estimation  that  "what  mother 
thinks"  is  considered  of  little  value.  When  they  grow 
older  and  become  aware  that  woman  is  looked  upon  as 
merchandise,  to  be  bought  and  sold,  and  their  weakness 
taken  advantage  of,  as  was  poor  Eve's  when  the  Ser- 
pent beguiled  her  in  the  Garden  of  Eden,  is  it  a  mat- 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  1 67 

ter  for  wonder  that  a  mother's  advice  is  httle  heeded 
and  her  old-fashioned  rehgion  considered  of  small  ac- 
count ? 

The  much-quoted  saying,  "The  hand  that  rocks  the 
cradle  rules  the  world,"  remains  true  till  our  noble  sons 
go  from  us  and  are  persuaded  that  in  order  to  be  men 
they  nuist  keep  secrets  from  mother  and  join  secret 
fraternities.  My  son  did  not  smoke  or  even  drink  tea 
or  coffee.  In  all  these  respects  he  was  a  model  young 
man,  but  he  was  a  member  of  an  Artists'  Union.  Re- 
garding this  union,  which  was  a  secret  society,  the 
manner  in  which  their  meetings  were  conducted,  the 
form  of  initiation,  or  the  influence  exerted  on  the 
members,  were  things  on  which  his  lips  were  sealed 
to  her  who  should  have  been  his  confidant.  I  only 
know  that  he  sent  money  to  the  union  for  fees  and 
assessments  up  to  within  a  few  weeks  of  his  death. 

I  have  noticed  that  a  young  man  as  soon  as  he  joins 
the  Masons,  however  frank  his  manners  before  taking 
this  step,  invariably  changes  for  the  worse.  This  is 
just  as  true  when  he  joins  some  minor  order  patterned 
after  Masonry.  I  have  noticed  in  men  who  were 
entire  strangers  to  me  a  slyness  of  manner  and  a  soft, 
catlike  tread,  which  convinced  me  that  they  belonged 
to  some  secret  order ;  and  in  every  case  I  have  found 
on  investigation  that  this  was  so.  The  secret  society 
mark  on  a  man  is  something  that  cannot  be  rubbed 
out  when  once  he  receives  it  by  anything  short  of  the 
cleansing  blood  of  Christ. 

Surely  this  is  a  question  that  especially  concerns 
every  mother.  Shall  our  beloved  sons,  for  whom  we 
have  periled  our  lives  to  give  them  existence,  be 
drawn  into  these  secret  snares  set  for  their  feet  ?  these 
fraternities  that  bar  out  from  their  confidence  with  the 
seal  of  a  secret  vow  ?  that  herd  together  "the  precious 
and  the  vile,"  and  whose  influence  is  today  felt  all 
through  our  land — though  few  trace  it  to  its  right 
cause — in  the  neglect  of  God's  Word,  and  the  wide- 


l68  IN    THE    ENEMIES     LAND, 

spread  atheism  now  prevailing?  I  soon  discovered,  to 
my  great  grief,  that  he,  with  others  of  his  fellow- 
students,  had  become  an  admirer  of  Ingersoll,  and  no 
longer  put  faith  in  his  mother's  God.  At  the  same 
time  he  seemed  entirely  unreconciled  to  death,  and 
indeed  he  had  much  for  which  to  live.  He  was  a  uni- 
versal favorite,  and  but  a  few  months  before  his  death 
was  surprised  by  the  gift,  through  W.  H.  Billado,  of 
fifty  dollars  from  his  neighbors  and  fellow-townsmen, 
whose  kindness  I  here  take  pleasure  in  recording  with 
thanks.  He  had  been  offered  a  high  salary  as  super- 
intendent of  an  art  gallery  in  Massachusetts,  and 
was  rising  rapidly  in  his  profession,  which  he  loved 
with  all  the  ardency  of  genius.  In  vain  I  tried  to  talk 
with  him  of  the  many  times  that  I  had  proved,  not 
only  God's  existence,  but  His  abounding  mercy  and 
faithfulness ;  in  vain  I  reminded  him  of  his  sister's 
glorious  death  as  proof  of  the  immortal  life  awaiting 
all  who  put  their  trust  in  Christ.  He  seemed  utterly 
indifferent  to  all  I  said.  Grieved  and  disheartened,  I 
finally  resolved  not  to  mention  the  subject  to  him 
again,  and  a  wall  of  silence  grew  up  between,  us,  the 
remembrance  of  which  even  now  brings  tears  to  my 
eyes. 

But  one  bright  spring  day  I  was  in  the  yard  sowing 
flower  seeds.  Howard  sat  beside  me  in  his  invalid's 
chair,  which  had  been  moved  out  of  doors  that  he 
might  enjoy  the  fresh  air  and  sunshine.  It  occurred 
to  me  that  now,  when  all  nature  was  rising  in  a  glorious 
resurrection  from  her  long  sleep,  entombed  under  the 
winter  snow,  I  would  try  once  more  to  impress  upon 
his  mind  the  folly  of  the  infidel's  hopeless  creed. 
Showing  him  some  of  the  seeds  that  were  nearly  as 
fine  as  grains  of  sand,  I  quietly  asked : 

"Do  you  think  anything  so  small  can  come  up  and 
bring  forth  flowers?" 

"Of  course,"  he  answered,  with  a  look  of  wonder, 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE 


169 


as  if  he  thought  his  old-fashioned   mother  had  very 
little  judgment. 

I  still  held  the  seeds  in  my  hand  and  argued  on  the 
other  side.  How  was  it  possible  for  the  germs  of  life 
to  exist  in  anything  so  small?  Then,  putting  some  in 
the  ground  and  stirring  them  up  with  the  soil,  I  asked 


HOWARD    GIDDINGS. 


him  to  pick  out  the  seeds.  He  bent  over  and  scanned 
the  dirt  carefully,  but  the  buried  seed  was  undistin- 
guishable. 

"You  know  very  well,  mother,  that  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  me,  or  any  one  else,  to  pick  out  seed  so 
fine,  since  it  has  been  mixed  up  with  the  soil." 


170  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

'Well,"  I  returned,  "I  want  some  flowers,  and  so  to 
be  sure  of  having  them  I  will  put  in  some  coarser  seed 
that  I  can  see." 

He  stared  at  me  for  an  instant,  as  if  he  thought  my 
senses  were  deserting  me,  and  then  said : 

"Of  course,  the  seed  will  come  up.  Even  if  too 
small  for  us  to  find,  it  is  not  too  small  to  contain  the 
germs  of  life." 

"If  that  is  so,  why  should  there  not  be  somewhere 
in  this  earthly  body  a  germ  of  immortal  life  which  we 
cannot  see?" 

He  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  gazed  up  at  the  sky, 
as  if  the  thought  had  struck  him  in  a  new  light.  It 
was  several  moments  before  he  spoke. 

"Well,  mother,"  he  said  at  last,  "you  have  made  a 
better  argument  than  I  ever  heard  Ingersoll  make. 
Certainly  every  seed  must  go  into  the  ground  and  die 
before  it  can  spring  up  in  a  new  body,  and  it  does  not 
matter  if  the  seed  is  so  small  as  to  be  invisible.  The 
germ  of  the  new  life  is  there,  whether  we  can  see  it 
or  not.  It  looks  reasonable  that  this  mortal  body 
should  have  within  itself  some  germ  of  spiritual  life. 
Surely  it  is  of  far  greater  value  than  these  little 
flower  seeds." 

From  that  hour  the  influence  over  him  of  Ingersoll's 
teachings  perceptibly  weakened,  and  he  seemed  to  re- 
turn in  some  measure  to  the  old  faith  of  his  childhood. 
Like  most  consumptives,  he  was  very  ambitious  and 
kept  up  to  the  last.  He  dressed  himself  as  usual  the 
day  he  died,  but  when  night  came  I  noticed  that  he 
seemed  in  no  hurry  to  retire. 

"You  feel  too  tired  to  go  to  bed.  my  son?"  I  finally 
asked.  To  which  he  replied,  "Yes,  mother,  I  do." 
Then,  starting  up,  he  walked  quickly  into  the  little  par- 
lor bedroom.  I  heard  him  groan,  and  ran  into  the 
room.  He  sat  on  the  side  of  the  bed,  gasping  for 
breath,  though  he  complained  of  no  pain — only  a 
creeping  numbness. 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  17I 

"Howard,"  I  said,  when  I  had  made  every  effort 
to  relieve  him,  but  without  avail,  and  saw  that  the  end 
was  rapidly  approaching,  "I  can  do  no  more.  Qirist 
is  your  only  help.     You  must  look  to  Him." 

"Yes,  yes,"  he  answered  faintly,  and  his  lips  moved 
as  if  in  prayer,  and  with  a  mumiured  "Good-bye,"  he 
was  gone. 

After  his  death  I  found  a  poem  in  his  pocket-book 
which  I  will  here  copy.  These  touching  lines  I  have 
often  read  through  blinding  tears,  and  believe  he  placed 
them  there  with  the  hope  that  they  might  awaken  in 
some  Christian  hearts,  as  well  as  in  mine,  feelings  of 
pity  rather  than  blame  for  these  lost  lambs  astray  from 
the  Shepherd's  fold. 

THE  shepherd's  APPEAL. 

"Have  ye  seen  my  lamb  that  has  gone  astray. 

Afar  from  the  Shepherd's  fold, 
Away  in  the  deserts  'wild  and  bare,' 

Or  off  on  the  mountains  cold  ? 
Have  ye  ever  sought  to  bring  it  back 

By  a  word,  or  a  look,  or  a  prayer? 
Or  followed  it  when  it  wandered  lone. 

And  tried  to  reclaim  it  there? 

"Ye  gather  each  week  in  the  place  of  prayer. 

And  ye  speak  of  your  love  for  me, 
And  pray  that  your  daily  life  may  bear 

Some  fruit  that  the  world  may  see. 
Ye  mean  it  well — but  when  once  away 

Do  ye  live  that  life  of  prayer? 
Is  the  soul  of  the  lamb  that's  gone  astray 

Your  chief  and  your  greatest  care? 

Ye  speak  of  the  good  that  ye  mean  to  do 
Among  your  fellow-men ; 
Yet  ye  tarry  full  oft  'mid  the  joys  of  earth — 
They  are  watching  your  footsteps  then  ; 


172  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

And  while  ye  have  stopped  for  pleasure  or  ease, 

The  lamb  that  has  g-one  astray 
Has  wandered  the  farther  'mid  darkness  and  sin, 

Along  the  forbidden  way. 

"Ye  meet  in  your  counting-house  rooms  for  gain, 
And  count  the  cost  each  day ; 
Do  ye  ever  count  what  the  cost  may  be 
Of  the  lamb  that  has  gone  astray  ? 

"The  cost  of  that  soul  can  far  outweigh 
Your  stocks  and  your  piles  of  gold ; 
Can  ye  leave  your  gains  and  your  wealth  for  a  day 
To  srather  it  into  the  fold  ? 


fe' 


"It  is  perishing  now  in  the  bleak  and  cold, 
While  you  might  have  saved  its  life. 
Are  ye  thinking-  too  much  of  your  ease  and  your 
gains 
To  enter  the  Christian  strife? 

"When  the  reckoning's  called  and  the  balance  made. 
Will  the  wealth  of  a  single  day 
Atone  for  the  loss  of  the  dying  soul, 
For  the  lamb  that  has  gone  astray?" 

I  am  thankful  that  the  Lord  understands  the  heart, 
and  I  trust  that  in  ways  unknown  to  me  the  Good 
Shepherd,  who  never  fails  nor  is  discouraged  like  us, 
has  sought  and  found  all  of  his  stray  lambs  of  every 
name  and  race. 

The  first  child  of  my  agonized  prayers  is  buried  in 
the  Main  Street  Cemetery  at  Enosburg  Falls;  and  on 
the  headstone  are  engraved  these  words,  which  have 
often  comforted  my  sorrowing  heart : 

"Into  Thine  hand  I  commit  my  spirit ;  Thou  hast  re- 
deemed me,  O  Lord  God  of  truth." — Psalm  xxxi  :5. 

For  it  is  not  to  the  grave  we  commit  our  loved  ones. 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  173 

but  to  Hini,  the  ever-merciful  who  knows  the  hearts 
he  has  made  and,  in  Hfe  or  death,  is  still  the  same — 
struuf;  to  sage  and  mighty  to  redeem. 
Psalms  130. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

MR.    GIDDINGS'    LAST    SICKNESS. — ON    HIS  DEATHBED    HE 
MAKES   A   STARTLING   REVELATION. 

Mr.  Giddings'  mental  condition  had  much  improved 
in  proportion  as  he  failed  in  bodily  health.  He  would 
talk  in  a  sane  and  collected  way  on  any  topic,  but  oc- 
casionally showed  symptoms  of  mental  aberration.  One 
day  he  was  subpoenaed  to  appear  as  a  witness  in  a  law 
case  at  Johnson.  I  urged  him  not  to  go,  fearing  it  was 
a  plot  to  get  away  his  farm  and  he  promised  me  many 
times  before  he  went  that  he  would  neither  sell  nor 
dispose  of  it  in  any  way.  But  as  soon  as  he  stepped 
into  the  house  on  his  return  he  told  me  he  had  made 
a  trade  with  which  he  was  sure  I  would  be  pleased. 
He  had  it  all  down  in  black  and  white. 

With  great  exultation  he  pulled  the  paper  from  his 
pocket.  I  found  it  contained  the  statement  that  if  he 
sold  the  farm  within  six  months  he  could  have  all  over 
and  above  the  amount  of  the  mortgage.  He  had  given 
a  deed  on  these  conditions  and  received  nothing  for 
his  farm. 

"But  how  would  it  be  if  he  failed  to  find  a  pur- 
chaser?" I  asked.  This  was  a  view  of  the  subject 
which  appeared  not  to  have  occurred  to  him  before. 
His  countenance  fell,  and  I  pitied  him  so  much  that 
I  tried  to  comfort  him  by  treating  the  matter  as  a 
light  thing. 

Of  course  he  lost  his  farm.  There  was  no  lawsuit, 
and  I  think  the  subpoena  was  a  mere  pretext  for 
getting  him  to  Johnson  and  swindling  him  out  of  his 
land. 

Still  I  consulted  him  about  the  children  and  allowed 
him  to  manage  out-of-door  affairs,  for  he  seemed  per- 

174 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  1 75 

fectly  rational,  though  I  could  see  that  his  physical 
strength  steadily  declined  day  by  day. 

I  had  continued  to  pray  all  these  years  for  his  con- 
version, and  felt  greatly  dissatisfied  with  myself,  think- 
ing the  fault  must  lie  with  me,  that  he  had  not  been 
converted  long  ago.  I  was  in  the  habit  of  going  into 
a  small  closet  to  pray  and  one  day  when  I  had  sought 
this  retreat  with  heart  unusually  burdened,  I  carelessly 
shut  the  door  behind  me.  It  had  a  spring  lock  which 
snapped  to,  making  me  a  close  prisoner.  There  was 
no  ventilation  and  I  knew  if  no  one  came  to  my 
relief  I  should  smother  in  a  short  time.  Yet  death 
did  not  seem  to  me  such  a  very  unwelcome  event,  for 
I  was  suffering  from  the  same  old  feeling  of  unwor- 
thiness  that  had  more  than  once  tempted  me  to  take 
my  own  life.  I  felt  myself  beginning  to  suffocate. 
Not  to  call  for  help  would  be  suicide.  The  temptation 
not  to  do  so  passed  away  and  I  called  out  as  loud 
as  I  could,  and  was  heard  by  Mr.  Giddings.  who  came 
down  stairs  much  alarmed.  He  looked  down  cellar 
and  in  the  woodshed,  but  was  finally  guided  to  the 
closet,  where  he  found  me  laughing  with  Bible  in  .hand. 
He  was  much  affected  at  my  narrow  escape. 

"If  you  want  to  pray  you  need  not  hide  in  here,"  he 
said,  as  tears  filled  his  eyes. 

A  few  weeks  after,  we  were  in  the  kitchen.  He  was 
seated  nearly  back  of  me  and  I  was  startled  to  hear 
him  all  at  once  burst  out  crying,  and  sob  as  if  his  heart 
would  break.  I  thought  at  first  I  would  not  appear  to 
notice  him,  but  finally,  as  he  continued  to  weep,  I 
turned  around  and  said : 

"Lewis,  w-hat  ails  you?    Are  you  sick?" 

"Yes,"  his  reply  was,  between  sobs ;  "I  am  sick  in 
body,  soul  and  spirit.  I  know  you  have  no  confidence 
in  me  and  will  not  believe  me  sincere  when  I  say  that 
if  I  could  have  one  ray  of  hope  that  I  could  be  for- 
given for  my  past  life,  I  should  be  the  happiest  man  in 
the  world." ' 


176  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

"Of  course  you  can  be  forgiven,"  I  said,  soothingly. 

"There  is  no  forgiveness  for  me.  I  must  have  sinned 
away  the  days  of  grace  long  before  this  late  hour." 

"In  that  case  you  would  not  be  sorry  for  the  sins 
you  have  committed.  You  would  be  past  repentance. 
It  is  the  Holy  Spirit  striving  within  you  that  makes 
you  sorry  for  your  sins,  which  is  sufficient  proof  that 
the  Lord  has  not  forsaken  you." 

"I  do  not  know  how  you  can  talk  so  encouragingly 
to  me  after  I  have  allowed  those  blackguards  to  take 
such  advantage  of  you,  and  after  the  deception  I  used 
in  getting  you  to  be  my  wife.  I  know  your  life  has 
been  one  continual  sacrifice  since  our  marriage.  How 
can  you  believe  me  sincere,  or  that  God  will  ever  for- 
give me  for  my  sins?" 

"If  I  had  not  forgiven,  would  I  pray  for  you?  You 
have  been  the  subject  of  my  prayers  for  twenty  years 
or  more — so  long  that  I  nearly  made  up  my  mind  that 
the  Lord  would  never  grant  my  request." 

"Why  didn't  you  let  me  know  you  were  praying  for 
me?  I  would  have  been  a  Christian  two  years  ago  if 
I  had  known  you  were  praying  for  me  or  saw  any 
chance  that  I  could  ever  be  forgiven." 

"I  would  have  let  you  know  it,  but  I  supposed  you 
thought  me  insincere.  Have  you  not  always  talked  as 
if  you  thought  me  a  hypocrite?" 

"How  could  you  think  I  thought  so?"  he  asked;  "a 
woman  who  has  lived  such  a  life  as  you  have?  It  was 
my  own  guilt  that  made  me  talk  in  that  way,  for  I  am 
sure  if  I  ever  had  faith  in  anyone  being  a  Christian,  it 
is  you.  God  knows,  if  there  ever  was  a  saint,  you  are 
one." 

From  that  time  he  became  a  constant  reader  of  the 
Bible.  I  had  grown  so  discouraged  in  those  years  of 
waiting  as  to  think  that,  if  my  pravers  were  not  an- 
swered, I  would  cease  to  pray  for  others ;  for  surely  if 
I  had  any  favor  in  the  sight  of  God,  he  would  not  let 
the  father  of  my  children  perish." 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  1 77 

He  began  to  fail  rapidly,  to  stagger  in  his  gait,  and 
at  last  to  walk  with  a  cane.  He  went  out  one  day  for 
a  walk,  fell  on  the  street  and  was  brought  home  in  a 
wagon.  From  that  time  he  never  took  a  step  alone  but 
made  his  way  from  room  to  room  with  the  aid  of 
chairs. 

We  called  in  Dr.  R.  He  greeted  me  in  the  kitchen 
in  the  same  fatherly  way  as  of  old ;  then  went  into  Mr. 
Giddings'  room.  The  first  thing  I  heard  him  say  to  his 
patient  was  this : 

"See  here,  sir!  The  Soldiers'  Home  is  the  place  for 
you.  Your  wife  has  a  divorce,  and  >ou  have  no  busi- 
ness to  be  living  with  her." 

I  entered  the  room.  Mr.  Giddings'  eyes  were  rolled 
back  in  his  head  and  his  mouth  was  drawn  in  lines  of 
keen  agony. 

"Dr.  R.,"  I  said,  "if  I  am  not  his  wife,  this  is  his 
home.  Nearly  all  the  work  on  this  house  he  did  him- 
self. And  these  children  are  as  much  his  as  they  are 
mine.  I  consider  that  his  place  is  in  his  own  home 
and  with  his  own  family.  He  surely  has  as  good  a 
right  to  board  with  me  as  a  stranger." 

Mr.  Giddings  cast  upon  me  a  look  of  gratitude,  which 
I  can  never  forget,  and  a  faint  smile  passed  over  his 
face  that  settled  into  an  expression  of  pleased  relief. 

"I  do  not  consider  him  dangerous,"  said  the  doctor. 
"In  his  paralyzed  condition  he  may  live  for  years,  and 
I  certainly  think,  however  you  may  feel  to  the  con- 
trarv.  that  he  ought  to  be  sent  to  the  Soldiers'  Home, 
as  this  is  no  place  for  him  in  his  condition.  He  may 
be  helpless  for  years." 

I  firmly  refused,  but  in  this  and  subsequent  visits 
the  doctor  continued  to  talk  about  the  impropriety  of 
Mr.  Giddings  staying  with  his  family,  assuming  such 
airs  of  virtue  as  might  have  deceived  the  very  elect. 

In  his  weak  and  nervous  state,  these  talks  troubled 
Mr.  Giddings  greatly.  One  day  he  burst  into  tears,  and 
when  I  questioned  him  as  to  the  cause  he  said  he  was 


lyS  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

afraid  of  being  taken  away  by  force  to  the  Soldiers' 
Home. 

He  was  much  comforted  when  I  assured  him  that 
I  should  not  allow  him  to  be  taken  away,  and  whoever 
tried  to  take  him  would  do  so  at  their  peril.  Though 
relieved  from  this  fear  he  still  continued  to  fail,  till  I 
had  to  draw  him  from  one  room  to  another  in  a  large 
chair.  He  was  much  grieved  for  his  past  life,  and 
often  bemoaned  his  wasted  years. 

I  reminded  him  that  the  laborers  who  worked  for  an 
hour  received  the  same  pay  as  the  others  who  had  borne 
the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day,  and  that  there  is  more 
rejoicing  over  one  sinner  who  repents  than  ninety  and 
nine  just  persons  that  went  not  astray.  This  always 
seemed  to  afford  him  great  comfort. 

In  looking  back  I  can  record  these  days  as  the  hap- 
piest of  my  life.  All  the  sorrow  and  privation,  and 
even  the  reproach  I  had  suffered  by  allowing  him  to 
remain  with  his  family,  was  now  well  repaid. 

He  had  applied  for  an  increase  of  pension,  and  de- 
cided that  he  would  write  to  the  pension  department 
himself.  He  was  about  to  sign  his  name  just  as  Dr. 
R,  entered. 

"What  are  you  doing  now?"  the  doctor  asked  gruffly. 

"Writing  to  the  Commissioner  to  see  if  he  won't 
hurry  up  my  case." 

"Don't  you  know  better?"  thundered  Dr.  R.  "You 
will  have  all  your  pension  taken  away  if  you  go  to  in- 
terfering with  their  business.  The  Soldiers'  Home  is 
the  place  for  you  and  they  will  see  to  your  pension." 

His  air  of  arrogant  authority  was  truly  Masonic,  and 
in  Mr.  Giddings'  weak  conditron  he  carried  his  point 
in  preventing  the  letter  from  being  sent.  It  was  pre- 
served, though  not  dated  or  even  signed,  and  I  copy  it 
here,  as  it  may  prove  of  some  value  as  a  proof  to  the 
public  how  poor  and  disabled  veterans  of  the  Civil  War 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  1 79 

have  been  wronged,  though  the  fault  is  seldom  laid 
where  it  properly  belongs, 

Enosburg  Falls^  Vt. 
"Hon.  Commissioner  of  Pensions. 

Dear  Sir  :  On  or  about  the  23d  of  June,  1863,  we 
started  from  Occoquan,  Va.,  on  a  seven  days'  forced 
march  to  Gettysburg,  Pa.  I  marched  the  whole  dis- 
tance ;  was  nearly  exhausted  when  I  arrived  on  the 
field.  Went  into  action,  was  48  hours  without  rations. 
After  the  battle  closed  was  engaged  in  guarding  pris- 
oners all  night.  From  starting  point  until  the  close  of 
battle  and  guarding  prisoners,  occupied  a  space  of  time 
of  about  eleven  days  of  almost  continual  labor,  which 
had  a  tendency  to  the  breaking  down  of  my  whole  sys- 
tem. I  was  a  tough  and  healthy  man  when  enrolled, 
and  was  sick  when  discharged,  and  never  have  re- 
gained my  former  health.  I  noticed  for  a  good  while 
that  my  legs  had  the  appearance  of  failing  and  now  I 
am  unable  to  walk.  The  Doctor  says  my  legs  are  par- 
alyzed. I  hope  that  I  will  receive  what  I  am  justly 
entitled  to  in  the  settlement  of  my  claim.  I  did  the 
Government  good  service  and  never  failed  to  do  my 
duty,  and  what  I  am  justly  entitled  to  I  leave  to  you 
or  to  others  in  authority.  In  writing  this  letter  I  have 
not  copied  a  word,  neither  have  I  been  aided  by  any 
person ;  only  a  simple  statement  of  facts  from  memory 
which  I  experienced.  Hoping  that  you  will  attend  to 
this  business  at  vour  earliest  convenience, 

"Very  respectfully,  ." 

"Address : 

"I,  Sarah  Giddings,  do  solemnly  swear  that  this  let- 
ter was  written  by  Lewis  Giddings  in  November,  1894. 

"Sarah  Giddings. 

"State  of  Vermont,  Franklin  County.  Sworn  and 
subscribed  to  this  loth  day  of  January.  1895,  at  Enos- 
burg. "John  G.  Jenne,  Justice  of  the  Peace." 

I  did  all  I  could  to  keep  him  quiet  and  his  mind  at 
rest,  w^hich,  now  that  the  disease  had  fastened  on  his 


l80  IN    THE    ENEMIES     LAND. 

limbs,  seemed  perfectly  clear.  He  was  greatly  desir- 
ous to  get  his  back-pay,  thinking  that  then  he  could 
leave  myself  and  family  comfortable,  and  one  day  he 
asked  me  to  get  his  writing  materials  in  order  to  write 
again  to  the  Commissioner.  His  poor,  stiff,  shaky 
hand  could  scarcely  hold  a  pen,  but  to  pacify  him  I 
acceded  to  his  wish,  and  got  him  ink  and  paper.  He 
was  bolstered  up  in  bed,  trying  to  write,  but  had  not 
proceeded  far  when  the  doctor  again  came  in  and 
angrily  snatching  away  the  letter  accused  him  of  com- 
mitting a  fraud  on  the  Government  in  representing 
himself  as  "helpless."  He  was  not  helpless  so  long  as 
he  was  able  to  write. 

Again  the  letter  was  left  unfinished. 
After   his   physician   had   departed,    Mr.    Giddings, 
who  had  then  been  confined  to  his  bed  for  several 
days,  burst  into  tears  and  asked  bitterly: 

"What  do  you  think  of  Dr.  R.'s  saying  I  am  not 
helpless?  Here  I  am,  unable  to  get  myself  so  much 
as  a  drink  of  water." 

I  tried  to  soothe  his  feelings  of  distress  and  disap- 
pointment by  repeating  comforting  words  of  Scrip- 
ture, but  it  was  another  thorn  planted  in  his  pathway 
by  hands  that,  in  their  double  capacity  of  physician 
and  brother  Mason,  should  have  done  all  that  was  pos- 
sible to  soothe  his  passage  to  the  grave. 

This  unfinished  letter,  which  bears  trace  in  every 
line  of  being  penned  by  a  man  in  the  last  stages  of 
mortal  disease,  I  will  also  copy : 

"Enosburg  Falls,  Dec.  — ,  1894. 
"Hon.  IVm.  Loehren. 

"Kind  Sir  :  I  had  noticed  for  some  years  that  ner- 
vous debility,  the  disease  for  which  I  am  drawing  pen- 
sion, is  gradually  on  the  increase.  Several  weeks  ago 
I  was  entirely  prostrated.  Have  not  been  able  to  take 
a  step  since.  I  can  use  my  arms  some,  but  my  legs 
have  entirely  given  out,  and  I  have  got  to  have  some 
one  to  stay  with  me  continually,  for  I  am  entirely  help- 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  l8l 

less.      Please  to  make  a  special  case  of  mine  and  attend 
to  it  as  soon  as  possible." 

"I,  Sarah  Giddings,  do  solemnly  swear  that  this  is 
the  last  letter  written  by  Lewis  Giddings. 

"Sarah  Giddings." 

"State  of  Vermont,  Franklin  Comity.  At  Enosbnrg, 
V't.,  this  loth  day  of  January,  1895,  personally  appeared 
Sarah  Giddings  and  swore  and  subscribed  to  the  above 
before  me.  •  John  G.  Jenne, 

"Justice  of  the  Peace." 

The  doctor  continued  to  say  that  there  was  no  im- 
mediate danger ;  he  might  live  for  years ;  but  one 
night  I  received  information  which  convinced  me  to 
the  contrary.  I  had  just  laid  down  and  the  light  was 
out,  when  I  heard  a  voice  say  to  me  in  a  whisper,  "I 
think  he  will  live  about  five  days — five  days." 

I  could  not  understand  why  this  should  be  told  me. 
As  on  former  occasions,  I  felt  only  wonder,  and  the 
thought  never  occurred  to  me  to  speak  and  question 
the  voice.  I  told  my  children  about  it,  but  they  could 
not  believe  their  father  would  die  in  so  short  a  time, 
as  he  was  to  all  outward  appearance  quite  comfortable. 
But  there  came  a  change.  His  appetite,  which  had 
been  quite  good,  suddenly  failed.  Still  the  doctor 
claimed  that  he  was  liable  to  live  for  years. 

One  day  he  again  burst  into  tears  and  seemed  in 
great  mental  anguish.  I  sat  down  by  his  bedside  and 
asked  if  he  was  worse,  but  he  kept  on  repeating  over 
and  over,  "Oh,  what  shall  I  do?  Oh,  what  sliall  I 
do?"  and  finally  asked  me  if  I  thought  he  was  going  to 
die  soon. 

I  told  him  what  the  doctor  said.  He  replied  that 
if  he  knew  he  was  not  going  to  live,  there  was  a  con- 
fession he  wanted  to  make,  and  nearly  every  day  after 
he  asked  me  to  send  for  a  justice  of  the  peace,  that  he 
might  confess  what  was  on  his  mind.  But  I  feared 
that  any  such  painful  recalling  of  the  past  would  be 
disastrous  to  him  in  his  weak  state.       It  might  have 


l82  IN    THE    ENEMIES      LAND. 

the  effect  to  again  unhinge  his  reason,  and  I  could  not 
bear  to  think  of  his  dying  with  his  mind  under  a  cloud. 
So  on  these  occasions  I  always  tried  to  divert  his  atten- 
tion by  reading  from  the  Bible  and  talking  about  re- 
ligious things  till  he  was  quieted. 

Still  the  burden  on  his  soul — whatever  it  was — 
seemed  to  increase ;  and  one  day  he  burst  into  another 
fit  of  weeping.  "Wife !"  he  called  out,  the  name  he 
always  called  me  by,  even  after  my  divorce. 

I  hastened  to  his  bedside. 

"There  is  something  I  must  tell  you/'  he  said,  look- 
ing up  into  my  face  with  his  hollow,  burning  eyes. 
"The  man  you  have  all  along  thought  guilty  of  mak- 
ing improper  proposals  for  our  daughter  is  entirely 
innocent." 

I  sprang  back,  horrified. 

"Lewis  Giddings,"  I  exclaimed ;  "why  did  you  ever 
put  such  an  accusation  upon  an  innocent  man,  making 
me  hate  the  sound  of  his  name,  and  the  very  sight  of 
his  costly  mansion?" 

"The  villains  made  me.  They  would  have  had  me 
put  in  the  insane  asylum  if  I  had  not  consented  to  the 
deception." 

"But  why  did  you  not  tell  me  this  before?" 

"I  did  not  dare  do  it,"  he  answered;  "did  not  dare 
call  my  soul  my  own.  They  had  me  completely  in 
their  clutches.  They  could  make  me  do  anything 
with  that  dreadful  threat — the  insane  asylum." 

I  began  to  realize  that  all  I  had  suffered  in  wrong 
and  hardship  was  nothing  to  the  agony  which  had 
been  inflicted  on  this  poor,  weak,  sick  brain,  thus  held 
in  fetters  that  he  had  no  power  to  break,  and  forced  to 
keep  these  dark  secrets,  now  just  revealed  on  the 
brink  of  the  grave.  I  could  only  gaze  on  him  with 
feelings  of  the  profoundest  pity  as  he  went  on  to  un- 
ravel still  further  the  thread  of  their  dark  scheming. 
It  was  a  subtle  and  deeply  laid  plot ;  if  I  undertook  to 
expose  them,  I  must  be  led  to  accuse  an  innocent  man. 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  183 

He  would  resent  it.  I  could  bring-  no  proof,  and 
should  the  case  ever  come  into  court  such  an  accusa- 
tion would  lend  color  to  the  charge  that  I  was  insane, 
and  in  any  event  the  guilty  ones  would  be  shielded. 

I  asked  him  how  many  were  in  the  plot.  He  could 
not  tell,  except  that  the  ring  was  composed  of  only  a 
few  members  who  could,  however,  use  the  whole  lodge 
machinery  to  further  their  purposes,  and  make  unwit- 
ting tools  of  those  not  in  the  conspiracy. 

"I  never  consented  willingly  to  their  demands,"  he 
exclaimed.  "I  was  frightened  into  it  and  forced  to  do 
as  they  said.  They  were  determined  to  break  up 
our  family.  The}-  knew  that  if  you  consented  I  would 
never,  when  my  mind  was  right  and  I  realized  about 
it,  live  with  you.  If  you  refused  to  consent,  at  the 
times  when  they  had  me  under  their  influence,  you 
could  never  live  with  me.  In  either  case,  the  family 
would  be  broken  up." 

I  had  listened  so  far  with  amazed  horror. 

"Don't  you  ever  dare  tell  me  who  the  guilty  ones 
are !"  I  exclaimed.  "I  am  afraid  I  shall  kill  them  if 
you  do.  I  have  been  tempted  many  times  to  commit 
murder,  and  if  I  have  not  done  so  it  is  because  grace 
has  been  given  me  to  wait  on  the  Lord  and  remember 
that  vengeance  is  His." 

]\Iy  suspicions  at  once  rested  on  the  doctor.  For 
this  I  had  reasons.  At  the  same  time  I  had  no  actual 
proof  that  he  was  the  guilty  party.  As  I  thought  over 
the  matter  more  quietly,  it  seemed  to  me  incredible 
that  so  much  villainy  should  exist  under  such  a  saint- 
like exterior.  He  did  not  come  that  day  until  nine 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  by  which  time  I  had  grown 
calm  enough  to  receive  him  w^ithout  show^ing  in  my 
countenance  any  trace  of  the  terrible  ordeal  through 
which  I  had  passed. 

Mr.  Giddings,  in  his  confession,  admitted  that  our 
marriage  was  plotted  in  the  lodge.  At  the  same  time 
he  had  a  sincere  affection  for  me,  and  knew  that  only 


184  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

by  using  some  strategy  could  he  secure  me  for  his  wife. 
He  felt  positive  in  his  own  mind  that  I  would  be  true 
to  him^  and  at  the  time  of  our  marriage  never  intended 
to  join  the  Masons.  Mr.  S.  had  informed  me  cor- 
rectly of  the  conditions.  They  were  to  take  him  into 
the  lodge  as  soon  as  a  child  should  be  born  of  our 
union.  This  explanation  accounted  for  his  objection  to 
children,  and  I  refused  to  live  with  him  without  chil- 
dren ;  and  when  w'e  returned  to  Enosburg  the  villains 
demanded  that  he  fulfill  the  rest  of  the  contract,  so  that 
they  could  aid  him  and  his  family  without  causing  sus- 
picion. He  was  to  take  no  further  part  in  the  plot,  only 
to  keep  silent  and  make  no  opposition.  When  they  found 
it  was  impossible  to  win  my  affection  they  were  deter- 
mined to  do  me  and  my  family  all  the  injury  they 
could. 

Among  other  things  he  told  me  was  that  he  knew  of 
their  intention  to  raid  my  house  when  I  lived  in  St. 
Albans.  Their  plans  were  all  laid,  but  their  courage 
failed  them  at  the  last  moment,  and  they  thought  of 
another  and  more  ingenious  way  to  accomplish  the 
ruin  of  myself  and  children.  They  put  up  my  board- 
ers to  make  the  disturbance  previously  narrated.  As 
our  support  depended  entirely  upon  the  board-money, 
they  supposed  I  would  tolerate  the  noise  until  they 
could  convince  the  public  that  I  was  keeping  a  dis- 
orderly house,  and  thus  give  some  shadow  of  excuse 
for  a  raid.  But  after  the  second  night  of  confusion, 
my  threat  to  complain  to  the  ladies  of  St.  Albans — a 
thing  they  had  never  thought  of  my  doing,  foiled  them 
in  their  iniquitous  plans. 

After  they  had  taken  him  into  the  lodge,  and  found 
they  could  neither  persuade  nor  bribe  me,  they  began 
to  bear  harder  on  their  unfortunate  victim.  They  took 
the  times  when  they  saw  his  mind  was  unbalanced — 
which  was  often  the  case  for  weeks  and  months,  so 
that  he  could  remember  little  or  nothing  of  what  had 
transpired — to  persuade  or  frighten  him  into  bad  bar- 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  1 85 

gains,  and  even  to  deeding  away  pieces  of  property 
about  which  he  knew  no  more  than  I,  for  he  never  had 
the  least  recollection  of  making  out  the  deeds.  He 
was  going  up  street,  one  day,  when  he  met  a  man  who 
spoke  to  him  about  selling  the  spring  lot  to  the  farmer, 
and  he  was  never  more  astonished  in  his  life.  Not  a 
thing  could  he  remember  regarding  the  affair. 

It  should  be  said  here  that  the  farmer  was  not  a 
Mason.  Advantage  was  sometimes  taken  of  his  weak- 
ness by  unscrupulous  men  outside  the  lodge.  But  as  a 
rule,  it  was  from  men  who  had  knelt  with  him  at  the 
lodge  altar,  wMth  whom  he  "met  on  the  level  and 
parted  on  the  square,"  that  he  suffered  the  grossest 
abuse,  the  direst  wrongs ;  men  w^ho  knew  how  to  use 
his  Masonic  oath  to  bind  him  to  secrecy,  so  that  the 
poor  victim,  caught  and  held  fast  in  their  terrible  net, 
could  scarcely  make  a  struggle. 

I  was  much  comforted  by  this  confession.  Many 
things  were  now  made  clear  to  me  that  had  been  mys- 
teries before,  and  it  was  a  great  relief  to  me  to  know 
that  it  was  through  the  secret  machinations  of  evil 
men  rather  than  his  own  will,  that  our  family  had  been 
disgraced  by  a  divorce. 

He  was  anxious  to  be  baptized,  and  by  a  confession 
of  his  Christian  faith  make  some  atonement  for  the 
past.  He  was  baptized  December  15,  1894,  by  the 
rector,  and  died  on  Christmas  day,  on  the  twenty- 
eighth  anniversary  of  our  strange  marriage. 

After  being  baptized,  he  expressed  his  wish  to  re- 
ceive communion.  The  Episcopal  clergyman  who  ad- 
ministered the  rite  promised  to  come  the  next  morning, 
but  day  after  day  slipped  away,  and  the  dying  man, 
who  was  much  grieved  at  this  strange  neglect,  waited 
in  vain  for  the  last  rites  of  the  church.  I  felt  it  myself 
so  keenlv  that  when  he  died  with  this,  his  last  wish, 
ungratified,  I  sent  for  a  minister  of  another  denomina- 
tion to  conduct  the  funeral.  The  rector  expressed 
much  regret  when  I  told  him  the  reason,  and  explained 


1 86  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

that  it  was  so  near  Christmas  his  time  was  all  taken  up 
with  preparing  for  the  usual  church  festivities,  and 
thus  the  matter  had  slipped  from  his  mind. 

The  only  kindness  ever  shown  us  in  this  time  of  trial 
by  the  Masons,  or  the  Grand  Army  Post  with  which 
he  was  connected,  was  in  providing  watches  for  him 
the  last  few  nights  he  lived.  After  he  was  dead  a 
Mason  came  to  the  house,  and  asked  me  "if  Mr.  Gid- 
dings  had  requested  a  Masonic  funeral."  When  I  said 
"No,"  he  inquired  if  I  would  like  the  Free  Masons  to 
form  in  a  body  and  march  to  the  grave.  I  told  him  I 
had  no  objection,  but  would  like  to  have  the  Grand 
Army  march  first.  I  never  supposed  that  they  would 
consent  to  this,  and  was  much  surprised  when  they 
agreed  to  the  arrangement  and  marched  behind  the 
Grand  Army  veterans. 

Looking  back  on  these  sad,  dark  days  of  my  mar- 
ried life.  I  thank  God  that,  sustained  by  His  grace,^  I 
was  faithful  even  until  death  to  the  father  of  my  chil- 
dren. But  I  thank  Him  still  more  for  the  hope  vouch- 
safed me  in  his  last  hours,  and  that  perfect  confidence 
with  which  I  now  leave  him  in  the  hands  of  One  who 
knoweth  our  frame  and  can  strike  the  balance  of  ac- 
countability with  the  unerring  justice,  rningled  with 
mercy,  of  which  poor  human  judgment  is  utterly  in- 
capable. 

Psalms  37. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MY   EFFORTS  TO  GET  A   TENSION. THE  TRUE  SECRET  OF 

MANY  PENSION  FRAUDS. 

After  Mr.  Giddings'  death  I  concluded  to  make  an 
effort  to  get  a  pension  for  my  youngest  daughter.  I 
therefore  called  on  Dr.  R.,  and  asked  him  if  he  would 
like  to  settle  for  doctoring  Mr.  Giddings,  or  wait  till 
the  pension  papers  were  made  out,  and  settle  for  both 
at  the  same  time. 

"On  what  grounds  did  you  get  your  divorce?"  he 
inquired. 

I  told  him,  "abuse."  He  asked  the  question  again, 
and  I  repeated  my  answer. 

"What  I  want  to  know  is,  what  was  testified  to  in 
court?" 

I  answered  that  there  were  some  very  sad  and 
painful  charges  brought  against  my  husband  \Yhich  I 
begged  to  be  excused  from  telling.  The  doctor  re- 
fused, however,  to  accept  this  excuse,  and  said  he 
wished  me  to  tell  him  exactly  what  was  said  in  court. 

"You  know  as  there  was  no  law  in  Vermont  to  pro- 
tect my  family  I  was  obliged  to  get  a  divorce  in  order 
to  obtain  the  custody  of  my  children." 
'  In  an  instant  his  kind,  fatherly  manner  seemed  to 
change.  His  mild  countenance  assumed  almost  the 
ferocity  of  a  demon,  and,  shaking  his  fist  at  me,  he 
exclaimed,  hoarsely : 

"Yes!  yes!  you  had  your  choice,  and  you  took  it; 
and  now  you  will  suffer  the  consequences.  You  re- 
member what  I  tell  you,"  he  repeated,  still  shaking  his 
fist ;  "vou  must  take  the  consequences  !" 

"If  I  suffer,  it  will  be  in  a  good  cause,"  I  calmly  an- 

187 


1 88  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

swered.     "The  Lord  is  able  to  take  care  of  me  yet.     I 
have  no  fear  of  suffering  seriously." 

Tlie  doctor's  angry  shake  of  his  fist  was  like  a  light- 
ning-flash, showing  me  in  an  instant  the  meaning  of 
the  mysterious  voice,  and  its  strange  and  seemingly 
false  prediction  as  to  the  time  of  Mr.  Giddings'  death. 
The  first  five  days  that  he  lived  after  I  heard  the  voice 
he  was  well  able  to  make  his  desired  confession ;  the 
next  five  days  he  could  have  done  so,  but  was  very 
feeble ;  but  the  last  ten  days  he  was,  so  far  as  business 
was  concerned,  the  same  as  a  dead  man.  Now  I  under- 
stood my  lost  opportunity,  and  the  reason  why  the  Lord 
sent  an  angel  to  tell  me  of  his  nearness  to  death.  I  then 
greatly  regretted  my  refusal  to  send  for  a  magistrate 
as  he  had  so  earnestly  requested,  to  take  his  dying  con- 
fession while  he  was  able  to  make  it ;  but,  as  before 
stated,  I  was  afraid  of  the  mental  strain  upon  him ;  and 
now  it  is  too  late  for  the  world  to  ever  have  his  affi- 
davit confirming  the  statements  made  of  the  crirnes 
attempted  upon  our  family  and  exposing  the  guilty 
men  who  were  responsible  for  keeping  him  out  of  his 
pension,  and  causing  our  separation.  I  rose  to  leave 
the  house.  The  doctor  accompanied  me  to  the  door, 
still  somewhat  excited,  but  making  a  strong  effort  to 
resume  his  natural  manner.  After  stepping  out  of 
the  door,  I  turned  around  and  said  to  him : 

"Doctor,  the  Lord  has  delivered  me  more  than  once 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  vile  men  of  this  town.  You 
know  how,  in  spite  of  all  their  wealth  and  influence, 
their  plans  have  been  foiled.  You  have  seen  this  as 
well  as  I  ?" 

"Yes,  yes,"  he  replied,  uneasily.     "I  know." 

"I  do  not  fear  your  threats,"  I  remarked,  as  I  left  his 
house.  "The  God  who  protected  me  in  my  childhood 
will  take  care  of  me  in  my  old  age." 

When  I  told  my  daughter  how  the  Lord  had  opened 
my  eyes  to  see  the  truth  about  Dr.  R.,  she  clasped  her 
hands  and  exclaimed, 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  189 

"Thank  God.  I  have  waited  all  these  years  for  you 
to  be  convinced  that  Dr.  R.  is  really  the  guilty  man. 
Mother,  how  could  you  be  so  blind  ?  Think  how  he 
abused  father !" 

In  fact,  he  had  once  treated  Mr.  Giddings  during  his 
last  illness  with  such  brutal  tyranny  that  I  came  near 
turning  him  out  of  doors,  and  was  only  restrained  by 
the  remembrance  that  we  were  both  members  of  the 
same  church. 

Mr.  Giddings  was  undergoing  a  surgical  operation. 
My  daughter  and  I  had  left  the  room,  when  we  heard 
the  doctor's  voice,  and,  soon  after,  a  sound  of  distress 
from  Mr.  Giddings.  I  sprang  to  the  door,  and  went 
in.  He  had  fallen  from  his  chair  and  was  lying  on 
the  floor,  while  Dr.  R.  was  standing  over  him,  telling 
him  in  loud  and  imperative  tones  to  "get  up."  This 
command,  as  brutal  as  it  was  unreasonable,  was  given, 
it  must  be  remembered,  to  a  man  with  no  strength  to 
rise,  or  even  to  move  his  poor,  helpless  limbs.  When  I 
entered  the  room  he  was  clutching  hold- of  the  bed- 
side in  a  vain  attempt  to  obey,  and  crying  piteously. 
I  caught  him  up  and  seated  him  in  the  chair,  asking 
him,  as  I  did  so,  how  he  came  to  fall.  He  did  not 
seem  to  know.  I  wiped  the  tears  and  perspiration 
from  his  face,  and  fanned  him,  while  the  doctor  stood 
by  assuring  me  that  he  was  not  hurt,  and  trying  to  ex- 
plain conduct  so  unbecoming  in  a  physician,  by  saying 
that  he  wanted  to  test  his  patient's  ability  to  get  up  by 
himself. 

I  have  omitted  to  say  that  before  Mr.  Giddings' 
death  he  made  me  promise  to  see  Mr.  M.,  and  tell  him 
the  whole  story ;  for  he  considered  Mr.  M.  an  honor- 
able man,  who,  if  he  once  understood  how  the  lodge 
had  tried  to  take  advantage  of  a  sick  brother,  would 
feel  that  his  lodge  vows  obliged  him  to  help  me  in  se- 
curing a  pension.  But  I  believed  that  this  would  be 
unnecessary;  that  after  his  death  the  lodge  ring  that 
had  worked  us  both  so  much  mischief  would  cease  to 


igO  IN    THE    ENEMIES      LAND. 

molest  me,  and  as  my  promise  was  made  more  to  pacify 
and  comfort  a  dying  man  than  anything  else,  I  did  not 
feel  bound  to  keep  it.  I  still  half-believed  that  Mr.  M. 
was  not  in  ignorance  of  the  conditions  on  which  my 
husband  was  taken  into  the  lodge,  and  would  need  no 
explanation  of  their  base  designs.  But  when  Dr.  R. 
shook  his  fist  at  me,  many  thoughts  flashed  through  my 
mind ;  among  others,  the  recollection  of  this  promise. 
I  decided  that  I  would  tell  him,  and  see  haw  he  treated 
me. 

I  was  received  with  kindness,  and  told  my  story. 

"They  have  got  to  go  somewhere,  I  suppose,"  said 
he  in  a  business-like  manner.  "Tliey  cannot  go  to  my 
house,"  I  remarked ;  and  I  reminded  him  that  he  had 
a  little  daughter  who  would  soon  be  fifteen,  and  added, 
"Would  you  be  willing  they  should  go  to  your  house?" 

I  supposed  he  would  be  angry  at  this  plain  question. 
Instead,  his  face  softened.  He  sat,  thinking,  for  sev- 
eral moments.  Then  he  turned  to  me  and  said,  his 
eyes  nearly  "sufifused  with  tears  : 

"Mrs.  Giddings,  I  am  very  sorry  for  you.  As  soon 
as  the  Administration  changes  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  get 
vou  a  pension  with  your  husband's  arrears  of  back- 
pay." 

He  manifested  great  sympathv  at  parting,  and  again 
I  put  faith  in  the  promise  of  a  Free  Mason,  only  to  be 
deceived,  as  I  had  so  often  been  before. 

The  pension  attorney  at  Washington  informed  me 
that  having  been  divorced,  I  myself  could  get  no  pen- 
sion, but  my  minor  daughter  was  entitled  to  one,  and  in 
order  to  secure  it  to  her  I  must  be  appointed  her 
guardian.  I  therefore  visited  the  office  of  the  Judge 
of  Probate  at  St.  Albans,  to  get  the  necessary  papers 
made  out ;  but  as  soon  as  I  entered,  the  verv  sight  of 
me  seemed  to  excite  his  anger.  "Out !  Out !"  he  com- 
manded, motioning  me  away  with  his  hand. 

I  wanted  to  ask  when  I  could  see  him ;  but  the  Judge 
still  motioned  me  to  go,  and  with  such  an  expression,  of 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  I9I 

impatience  that  I  was  obliged  reluctantly  to  obey. 

I  waited  till  almost  night ;  then  went  back  to  the 
office,  and  begged  that  I  might  be  given  a  few  moments 
of  his  time.  He  was  perfectly  unoccupied,  nor  was 
there  any  one  else  in  the  room ;  but  he  still  said  he  vyas 
"too  busy"  to  attend  to  me.  I  asked  him  to  mention 
some  day  when  I  could  see  him,  but  he  replied  that  he 
was  busy  every  day  and  could  set  no  time. 

Soon  a  pension  paper  came  from  Washington,  with 
a  blank  for  Dr.  R.  to  make  out  and  sign,  regarding  the 
cause  of  Mr.  Giddings'  death.  This  necessitated  my 
again  calling  on  Dr.  R. 

I  laid  the  paper  on  the  table  before  him,  and  asked  if 
he  would  make  it  out,  but  he  only  pushed  it  back  to- 
wards me,  saying  that  neither  I  nor  my  child  could  get 
any  pension. 

"The  pension  attorney  at  Washington  tells  me  that 
my  little  girl  is  entitled  to  one,"  I  answered. 

"There  are  many  people  entitled  to  pensions  who 
can't  get  them." 

"For  what  reason  is  the  money  withheld?"  I  in- 
quired. 

"Mecause  they  can't  get  it,"  he  said,  leaning  back  m 
his  chair,  and  laughing  vilely.  'T  can  tell  you  of  a 
good  many  instances."  He  then  went  on  to  relate  the 
case  of  a  soldier's  widow,  living  near  Bakersficld.  wdio 
was  so  poor  that  she  had  to  go  out  working  by  the  day, 
and  vet  could  not  get  a  pension,  though  she  never  had 
troulile  with  her  husband,  and  her  youngest  child  was 
but  four  years  old  at  the  time  of  his  death,  from 
disease  contracted  in  the  army. 

"She  and  her  children  couldn't  get  a  pension,  and 
you  can't,"  repeated  the  doctor ;  and  again  he  refused 
to  make  out  the  paper. 

Seeing  it  was  useless  to  say  any  more.  I  took  it  to 
Mr.  Mc^Mlistcr.  the  notary  public,  who  had  always 
treated  me  kindlv.      He  seemed  much  surprised,  took 


192  IN    THE    ENEMIES     LAND. 

the  paper,  and  said  he  would  see  Dr.  R.  right  away. 
He  was  sure  he  could  get  him  to  make  it  out. 

I  saw  him  a  few  days  after.  He  said  he  could  not 
persuade  Dr.  R.  to  make  it  out,  and  finally  gave  me  the 
paper.  I  then  took  it  to  Mr.  M.,  who  was  very  cool 
and  told  me  he  had  no  time  to  attend  to  the  business. 

I  then  gave  it  to  the  State's  Attorney,  who  said  he 
would  see  that  Dr.  R.  made  the  necessary  statement. 
After  a  few  days  I  called  on  the  attorney.  He  said  he 
had  seen  Dr.  R.  twice,  but  he  had  refused  to  make  out 
the  paper,  and  there  was  no  law  to  compel  him  to  do 
so.  So  I  was  obliged  to  return  it  without  the  attend- 
ing physician's  statement. 

I  then  went  to  Morrisville,  to  see  Congressman 
Powers.  For  while  he  was  a  Mason,  I  believed  he  had 
a  strong  regard  for  the  right,  and  could  not  be  won 
over  to  any  union  with  evil-doers. 

I  felt  sure  he  would  assist  me,  nor  was  I  disap- 
pointed. He  said  that  as  soon  as  he  went  to  Washing- 
ton he  would  see  that  her  claim  was  numbered,  from 
which  time  she  could  draw  her  pension.  A  month 
later  he  succeeded  in  getting  her  claim  numbered ;  but 
I  had  as  yet  failed  in  obtaining  .the  necessary  guardian- 
ship papers. 

After  Dr.  R.  had  shaken  his  fist  at  me,  I  saw  the  ex- 
amining surgeon,  Dr.  S.,  and  asked  him  if  he  remem- 
bered examining  Lewis  Giddings. 

"Certainly,"  said  he ;  "and  it  was  one  of  the  strangest 
cases  that  ever  came  before  me.  I  hated  to  put  him 
under  keepers,  as  it  seemed  to  be  my  duty.  The  man 
came  alone ;  no  complaint  had  been  made  to  me  that  he 
was  insane ;  yet  his  had  the  appearance  of  being  a  vio- 
lent case.  However,  I  thought  that  if  he  was  really  as 
bad  as  he  appeared  to  me  to  be,  the  doctors  in  Enos- 
burg  would  surely  have  taken  care  of  him;  and  after 
three  days'  pondering  of  the  case  I  decided  to  call  k 
'nervous  disability,'  which   was  the  mildest  form  in 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  I93 

which  I  could  state  his  disease,  and  entitled  him  to  the 
highest  rate  of  pension." 

I  informed  him  that  Mr.  Giddings  only  drew  twenty 
dollars  a  month. 

"That  is  a  shame,  and  a  disgrace  to  our  nation,"  ex- 
claimed the  examining  surgeon  warmly;  "for  that  man 
was  slowly  dying  of  disease  contracted  in  the  army. 
Nothing  else  could  have  so  broken  down  his  constitu- 
tion. His  legs  were  partially  paralyzed,  nearly  to  his 
knees,  which  must  have  been  caused  by  the  long  march 
he  took  to  reach  the  field  of  Gettysburg.  Every  sol- 
dier engaged  in  that  battle  should  have  been  pensioned, 
and  I  can't  understand  how  that  man  was  kept  out  so 
long.  I  should  have  thought  some  one  would  have 
taken  up  his  case,  and  gotten  a  pension  for  him  as  soon 
as  he  came  out  of  the  army.  He  must  have  been  en- 
titled to  one,  or  he  would  not  have  been  in  the  condi- 
tion he  was  in  when  I  examined  him.  He  lived  two 
years  longer  than  I  then  thought  it  possible  for  him  to 
hold  out." 

I  informed  Dr.  S.  that  I  had  on  two  occasions,  sev- 
eral years  before,  entered  complaint  to  two  doctors  of 
his  condition,  but  they  took  no  notice  of  it. 

"Then  they  should  be  held  responsible,"  said  the  ex- 
amining surgeon  with  warmth.  "They  need  not  come 
before  me  and  say  they  did  not  know  it.  Any  physi- 
cian, however  unskilled,  would  know  that  man  was  in- 
sane as  soon  as  he  saw  him ;  and  I  know  by  his  condi- 
tion when  I  examined  him.  that  he  had  been  insane  for 
years,  and  entitled  to  the  highest  rate  of  pension  since 
his  return  from  the  army." 

I  explained  to  him  that  I  had  to  get  a  divorce  in 
order  to  protect  my  family,  and  I  understood  that  my 
widow's  pension  would  be  withheld  from  me  on  that 
accoimt. 

"If  it  is,"  said  the  surgeon,*  "those  doctors  should  be 
held  responsible  for  not  taking  notice  of  your  com- 
plaint." 


194  IN    THE    ENEMIES      LAND. 

I  again  saw  the  Judge  of  Probate,  but  he  still  re- 
fused to  do  any  business  with  me.  I  told  him  I  would 
stay  in  St.  Albans  over  night  if  I  could  only  see  him  in 
the  morning;  but  all  in  vain. 

I  wrote  to  the  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court,  telling 
him  that  Judge  B.'s  refusal  was  keeping  my  little  girl 
out  of  her  pension,  and  asked  him  if  he  could  not  do 
the  business.     His  answer  I  will  here  copy : 

"The  Supreme  Court  of  Vermont. 

" ,  March  27th,  1896. 

"Mrs.  Giddings:  I  have  no  authority  to  appoint  a 
guardian  for  your  daughter.  Judge  B.  is  the  one  you 
should  apply  to.  I  have  no  doubt  he  will  do  what  is 
right." 

To  be  thus  cruelly  and  indifferently  referred  back 
to  the  very  man  of  whom  I  had  made  complaint  was,  to 
say  the  least,  not  very  satisfactory.  But  as  a  last  re- 
sort, I  went  to  the  Notary  Public,  and  said  that  if  the 
Probate  Judge  should  again  refuse  to  appoint  me 
guardian  I  should  make  an  appeal  to  the  ladies  of  Bur- 
lington and  St.  Albans.  He  looked  startled,  and  said 
that  would  not  be  the  best  way.  He  would  himself 
write  a  letter  to  the  Judge  of  Probate,  and  if  I  would 
go  down  to  St.  Albans,  Tuesday,  he  was  sure  I  would 
be  appointed  guardian. 

There  must  have  been  magic  in  the  letter,  for  when  I 
entered  Judge  B.'s  ofifice  a  queen  could  not  have  been 
received  more  graciously.  He  gave  me  the  best  chair 
in  the  room,  motioned  everybody  else  aside,  and  at- 
tended to  my  case  in  the  most  smiling  and  affable 
manner. 

March  31,  1896,  I  received  my  appointment. 

I  sent  my  guardianship  papers,  obtained  through 
such  tribulations,  to  Congressman  Powers,  but  was 
surprised  to  receive  a  letter  from  the  Pension  Attorney, 
saying  that  there  was  nothing  on  file  at  Washington 
regarding  my  daughter's  case,  and  calling  for  the  evi- 
dence over  again.       Fresh   papers   were  accordingly 


GRACE  AND  BANJO. 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  1 97 

made  out,  and  I  regfistered  them  to  Congressman  Pow- 
ers. They  were  duly  forwarded  to  the  Attorney.  A 
few  days  after,  my  daughter's  pension  was  granted, 
June  i6,  1896. 

This  had  gone  on  for  over  two  years.  Had  I  been  a 
feeble  woman,  or  only  capable  of  earning  my  fifty  cents 
a  day,  I  could  not  have  borne  the  expense,  and  conse- 
quently no  pension  would  have  been  granted. 

Not  long  ago  I  saw  in  the  papers  a  notice  of  the 
death  of  Judge  B.,  from  which  I  quote:  "He  enlisted 
in  1 86 1,  a  private,  and  was  mustered  out  in  1862.  In 
1867  he  was  elected  Judge  of  Probate,  which  he  held 
until  1898.  In  1872  he  was  elected  Railroad  Commis- 
sioner, and  served  the  State  in  that  capacity  till  1878. 
He  was  a  life-long  member  of  the  Episcopal  church, 
and  had  been  church  warden  since  1877.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  in  politics  a 
Republican." 

The  Judge  drew  a  "total  disability"  pension,  and  at 
the  same  time  drew  his  large  official  salary,  the  same 
as  a  well  man. 

I  will  also  copy  a  part  of  Mr.  Giddings'  pension  cer- 
tificate. 

"No.  400062.  (Reissue.) 

"United  States  of  America,  Department  of  the  In- 
terior, Bureau  of  Pensions. 

"It  is  hereby  certified  that  in  conformity  with  the 
laws  of  the  United  States,  Lewis  Giddings,  who  was  a 
private,  Co.  G.  13th  Regiment  Vermont  \''olunteer  In- 
fantry, is  entitled  to  a  pension  at  the  rate  of .  .  .  .twenty 
dollars  per  month,  from  August  2^,  1888,  his  pension 
being  for  nervous  debility  following  fever,  and  slight 
deafness  of  both  ears,  resulting  in  severe  deafness  of 
rig-ht  ear,  and  slight  deafness  of  left  ear. 

"Given  at  the  Department  of  the  Interior  this 
twelfth  day  of  October,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 


198  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

eighty-nine,  and  of  the  Independence  of  the  United 
States  of  America  the  one  hundred  and  fourteenth. 

"John  W.  Noble, 
"Secretary  of  the  Interior. 
"Countersigned, 
"Hiram  Smith^  Jr., 

"Acting  Commissioner  of  Pensions." 

Contrast  the  treatment  Judge  B.  received  with  that 
given  my  poor,  sick  husband,  and  say  if  here  is  not 
proof  sufficient  that  Masonry  takes  upon  itself  to  mis- 
represent cases  and  withhold  evidence  from  the  gov- 
ernment, and  thus  controls  to  a  large  extent  the  pen- 
sion fraud  system  at  Washington.  It  has  its  favored 
ones ;  men  who  are  ready  to  be  its  tools,  women  who 
are  willing  to  serve  its  vile  ends,  to  the  ruin  of  them- 
selves and  their  children.  Others,  who  refuse 
to  take  the  wages  of  unrighteousness,  find  themselves 
at  a  disadvantage,  hindered  instead  of  helped,  which- 
ever way  they  turn,  and  not  always  do  they  know  the 
reason  why.  The  public  attention  has  been  often 
drawn  to  "pension  frauds;"  seldom  to  the  secret 
agency  by  which  most  of  these  frauds  are  committed. 

Dr.  R.  had  never  asked  me  to  pay  Mr.  Giddings'  un- 
settled account,  but  after  several  months  had  passed  he 
referred  it  to  the  town,  thinking,  no  doubt,  that  by 
so  doing  he  could  bring  disgrace  upon  my  family.  As 
it  was  known  that  we  were  always  careful  to  "owe  no 
man  anything,"  several  came  to  me  to  make  inquiries. 

I  explained  to  them  the  doctor's  conduct.  I  also 
wrote  half  a  dozen  letters  to  different  men  in  town, 
stating  that  I  had  paid  all  of  Mr.  Giddings'  funeral  ex- 
penses, and  would  have  paid  Dr.  R.'s  account  had  he 
done  his  duty  as  a  physician.  The  doctor's  attempt 
to  disgrace  our  family  only  brought  dishonor  upon 
himself  and  the  fraternity  which  had  shielded  him  in 
his  crimes.  Everyone  knew  Mr.  Giddings  was  a 
Mason,  and  the  fact  that  they  would  allow  a  brother's 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  I99 

name  to  be  thus  published  in  the  paper  and  posted  in 
pubhc  in  order  to  collect  a  bill  or  bring-  reproach  upon 
his  family,  created  much  unfavorable  comment. 

My  letters  must  have  had  some  effect  on  town-meet- 
ing day.  The  article,  "To  see  if  the  town  would  vote 
to  pay  Dr.  R.  twenty-four  dollars  for  doctoring-  L.  A. 
Giddings  in  his  last  sickness,"  was  read  low  and  hur- 
riedly. Then  a  member  arose  and  moved  that  it  be 
"passed  over,"  which  was  done  without  a  word,  much 
to  the  amusement  of  several  in  the  hall  who  were 
watching  the  doctor's  evident  confusion. 

I  may  say  here  that  as  soon  as  Dr.  R.'s  true  nature 
was  revealed  to  me,  my  eyes  were  opened  to  see  that  all 
churches  which  fellowship  secret  societies,  are  a  part  of 
that  mystic  Babylon  from  which  God's  people  are 
warned  to  come  out,  that  they  be  not  partakers  of  her 
guilt.  I  found  that  the  outrages  attempted  in  my 
own  family  had  been  accomplished  in  the  families  of 
others  who  were  church  communicants,  and  always  by 
Masons.  Pure  and  lovely  girls  within  her  fold  had 
fallen  a  prey  to  these  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing,  and 
she  who  claimed  to  be  the  Bride  of  Christ  had  never 
lifted  her  voice  in  defense  of  these  helpless  innocents  ; 
for  "the  wicked  walk  on  every  side,  and  the  vilest  men 
are  exalted." 

I  reported  Dr.  R.'s  savage  threat  to  the  rector;  also 
to  the  bishop;  but  no  notice  was  taken  of  my  com- 
plaint, and  the  doctor  still  continued  to  hold  office  in 
the  church.  I  then  felt  it  my  duty  to  cease  attending 
her  services. 

Observation  and  experience  have  both  taught  me 
that  no  one  can  remain  in  these  lodge-ruled  churches 
and  not  partake,  in  greater  or  less  measure,  of  that 
golden  cup  which  she  holds  in  her  hands  "full  of  abom- 
ination and  filthiness  of  her  fornication,"  or  risk  par- 
taking likewise  of  her  awful  doom,  when  at  last  her 
sins  reach  unto  heaven,  and  God  remembers  her  iniqui- 
ties. 

Revelation  i8w 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

A   THEME   FOR   CONSIDERATION — AN   ATTEMPT    TO   TAKE 

AWAY  MY  LAND THE  STATE's  ATTORNEY'S  ADVICE  TO 

A  TAX  COLLECTOR. 

I  have  been  a  tax-payer  for  over  twenty-five  years, 
and  have  never  made  the  town  or  State  any  expense. 
I  have  brought  up  my  children  to  be  good  citizens, 
training  them  to  be  honest,  kind  and  industrious,  yei 
my  rights  were  continually  trespassed  upon,  the  new 
street,  to  which  some  slight  reference  has  been  made  in 
a  former  chapter,  proving  a  very  convenient  source  of 
annoyance. 

One  petition  called  for  a  street  to  go  over  my 
grounds  in  a  sort  of  circle,  leaving  a  small  piece  of 
land  between  the  road  and  a  tenement  house.  The 
owner  of  the  house  told  me  one  day  that  this  was  just 
what  he  needed  to  enlarge  his  lot,  but  as  it  was  too 
small  to  fence  in,  he  should  not  pay  me  much,  espe- 
cially as  the  selectmen  had  given  me  to  understand 
that  they  should  not  pay  me  a  cent  for  damage.  Yet, 
while  they  were  thus  intending  to  spoil  my  property 
and  give  me  no  remuneration,  I  had  already  paid  taxes 
which  amounted  to  over  four  hundred  dollars.  And 
moreover,  this  is  one  point  for  the  consideration  of 
all  honest  people — my  husband's  taxes  were  nearly  al- 
ways collected  of  me,  and  I  was  obliged  to  see  that 
his  were  duly  paid  before  I  could  be  credited  on  the 
tax  collector's  book  with  the  payment  of  mv  own. 

But  with  all  the  persecutions  I  had  suffered,  I  did 
not  feel  that  my  case  was  as  bad  as  that  of  many 
others,  who,  trusting  in  their  own  strength,  had  fallen 
victims  to  the  enemy.    For  their  sakes,  more  than  my 

200 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  20I 

own,  I  wrote  letters  and  sent  them  broadcast  into  near- 
ly every  State  in  the  Union,  telling-  them  my  story  and 
the  wrongs  which  had  been  done  me  by  this  secret  foe 
of  the  family  and  the  home.  These  letters  were  writ- 
ten chiefly  to  ministers,  and  I  was  surprised  at  the 
cowardly  spirit  manifested  by  many,  who  claimed  that 
"the  church  was  not  to  blame" ;  "I  must  be  charitable"  ; 
"there  are  none  righteous,  not  one,"  etc. 

But  I  considered  that  if  we  could  not  be  righteous, 
it  was  our  duty  to  be  honest  and  truthful  and  as  near 
righteousness  as  possible.  I  began  to  think  my  letter- 
writing  had  been  all  in  vain,  for  no  one  seemed  to 
understand  that  secret  societies  are  foes  to  the  people 
of  God ;  that  their  very  essence  is  evil,  teaching  selfish- 
ness and  a  pretense  of  brotherlv  love  where  none 
exists  ;  binding  the  honest  man  in  the  same  bundle  with 
the  adulterer  and  the  thief,  and  making  him  bow  at  the 
same  unclean  altar,  where  woman  and  wine  is  wor- 
shiped and  the  Christ  ignored  and  rejected.  But,  when 
I  was  well-nigh  discouraged,  the  Lord  showed  me,  as 
He  did  Elijah,  that  I  was  not  alone,  but  he  had  reserved 
unto  himself  a  people  who  would  not  bow  to  Baal.  I 
saw  the  following  in  a  newspaper  which  happened  to 
fall  into  my  hands,  and,  as  may  naturally  be  imagined, 
it  aroused  a  high  degree  of  wonder  and  interest : 

"ATTACK  ON  MASONRY. 

"Horrible  Picture  Drawn  by  a  Christian  Worker. 

"Boston,  Jan.  17. — At  a  meeting  of  the  New  Eng- 
land Christian  Association,  J.  P.  Stoddard,  the  Corre- 
sponding Secretary,  made  an  address  on  a  chart,  in 
which  he  said  that  a  Mason's  pledge  of  secrecy  is  a 
viper  in  his  home,  and  he  isn't  worthy  to  be  called  a 
man  if  he  submits  to  it.  In  Congress  they  have  74 
majority  in  joint  ballot.  He  said  Masonry  is  heathen- 
ish and  Christless.  Christ  is  recognized  in  Knight 
Templarism,  but  the  best  authorities  say  these  are  not 


202  IN    THE   enemies'    LAND. 

essential  to  Masonry.  He  said  every  Knight  drank 
wine  out  of  a  human  skull  and  invoked  double  damna- 
tion upon  himself  if  he  exposed  the  secrets.  The  852 
lodges  in  this  city  are  bleeding  the  church  to  death, 
while  Christian  missions  languish.  He  commented 
on  the  importation  and  use  of  liquors  during  the 
Knight  Templar  conclave  as  a  fit  illustration  of  Ma- 
sonic iniquity,  and  declared  that  pageants  and  pleas- 
ures, as  seen  at  the  conclave,  were  only  a  blind  under 
which  the  leaders  made  a  successful  assault  upon 
liberty  and  religion.  'The  plans  of  Masonry,'  he  said 
in  closing,  'are  far-reaching  and  include  the  domina- 
tion of  this  secret  order  over  the  world,  and  unless  the 
church  is  awake  it  will  succeed.'  " 

I  read  and  reread  the  article.  Here  was  a  brave 
man,  who  dared  to  stand  for  the  right  and  defy  the 
world.  I  decided  to  write  to  him,  and  received  a 
prompt  reply.  I  found,  with  astonishment  not  to  be 
described,  that  so  far  from  standing  alone,  the  Lord 
was  mustering  his  little  army  of  the  faithful  against 
the  proud  hosts  of  Babylon,  who  were  yet  to  fall  be- 
fore them — not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  his  own 
Holy  Spirit  of  truth,  which  he  has  promised  to  put 
within  them.  His  letter,  from  which  dates  my  first 
acquaintance  with  any  anti-secret  works,  I  will  here 
give  to  the  reader : 

"Rev.  J.  P.  Stoddard, 
'"n.  e.  secretary  of  the 
"National  Christian  Association, 
"218  columbus  ave. 
"Boston,  Mass.,  July  25th,  1891. 
"Mrs.  Sarah  Gtddings. 

"Dear  and  Afflicted  Sister:  I  am  in  receipt  of 
the  roll  and  inclosed  letter  you  sent  me,  postmarked 
the  17th  inst.  I  have  not  had  time  to  look  over  the 
manuscript,  but  your  letter  reveals  a  remarkable  experi- 
ence of  trial  and  many  victories.  The  deceivableness 
of  unrighteousness  that  lurks  in  these  secret  schemes 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  203 

01  Satan  is  cropi)ing-  out  on  every  hand,  and  yours  is 
only  another  instance  showing-  that  it  is  a  betrayer  of 
confidence  and  a  destroyer  of  virtue  in  the  name  and 
under  pretext  of  moraUty  and  even  reHgion.  I  cannot 
now  write  you  at  length,  but  be  assured  that  you 
have  our  sympathy  and  prayers  in  your  struggle 
against  the  enemy. 

"Yours,  for  the  Lord's  work, 

"J.  P.  Stoddard." 

Mr.  Stoddard  at  the  same  time  sent  me  anti-secret 
tracts.  I  hesitated  about  circulating  them,  not  wish- 
ing to  do  injustice  to  the  honest  men  who  might  be  in 
the  lodge ;  but  the  attempts  to  take  away  a  portion  of 
my  little  homestead  for  a  public  highway  still  con- 
tinued, and  the  peace  of  my  family  was  thereby  con- 
stantly disturbed. 

Mr.  K.,  the  man  of  whom  Mr.  Giddings  purchased 
our  place,  was  determined  to  make  me  furnish  the 
outlet  for  the  street,  to  accommodate  himself  in  sell- 
ing lots.  He  was  irreligious ;  in  fact,  an  infidel.  In 
vain  I  told  the  selectmen  of  his  promise  to  put  through 
the  street.  For  eight  years  I  was  annoyed  by  the 
passage  of  teams  through  my  dooryard,  as  the  street 
had  been  laid  out  to  the  line  where  Mr.  K.  had  it 
stopped.  When  told  that  I  could  not  be  allowed  any- 
thing for  my  land,  I  asked  them  to  give  me  as  many 
rods  as  they  took  from  me,  as  Mr.  K.'s  land  joining 
mine  was  for  sale.  Even  this  reasonable  request  was 
refused,  although  it  was  a  standing  ofifer  for  four 
years. 

I  was  often  treated  to  profane  and  abusive  language 
when  I  expressed  my  annoyance.  "It  would  take  forty 
dollars  to  enter  your  suit  in  court,"  said  one  of  the 
selectmen  to  me,  with  a  sneer.  "I  don't  believe  you 
can  raise  so  much  money.  What  could  yon  do  in 
bringing  a  suit  against  the  town  ?  You  would  lose 
your  whole  place,  if  you  should  imdcrtake  it." 

To  avoid  more  trouble  about  the  road,  I  offered,  on 


204  IN    THE    ENEMIES     LAND. 

certain  stipulated  conditions,  to  let  the  town  put  a  side- 
walk on  my  land  if  they  would  draw  writings  and 
put  in  all  of  the  conditions  in  regard  to  grading  and 
the  protection  of  my  shade  trees.  A  strip  of  land  was 
bought  of  Air.  K.  for  the  proposed  street,  and  when 
the  selectmen  came  to  survey  it,  I  told  one  of  them  if 
they  would  make  the  walk  I  would  sign  a  paper  made 
out  according  to  this  agreement  as  soon  as  presented. 
Six  months  passed  away,  and  no  notice  being  taken  of 
my  offer  I  supposed  they  were  ashamed  to  accept  my 
proposition  and  had  purchased  the  wdiole  street  of 
Mr.  K.,  as  I  had  only  land  enough  between  my  house 
and  Mr.  K.'s  land  for  a  door-yard.  Meanwhile  my 
door-yard,  which  I  had  worked  in  the  woolen  mill  and 
gone  out  washing  by  the  day  to  pay  for  grading  up, 
was  taken  for  a  public  highway  till  the  dust  raised  by 
the  teams  in  passing  became  so  unendurable  that  I  was 
obliged  to  close  up  the  driveway  to  my  house.  As  a 
result  the  selectmen  came,  one  Saturday  afternoon,  to 
look  over  the  land  for  the  new  street. 

I  remarked  to  a  lady  who  was  staying  at  my  house : 
"One  of  these  men  is  a  stranger  to  me,  but  I  am  sure 
he  is  a  Mason." 

I  accosted  them  as  they  were  going  away,  and  in- 
quired if  they  were  going  to  open  up  the  new  street, 
as  I  was  greatly  inconvenienced  by  having  the  drive- 
way to  my  house  fenced  ofif.  The  man  I  had  spotted 
as  a  Mason,  and  who  turned  out  to  be  one,  answered 
gruffly:  "The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  take  all  these 
trees  off." 

In  vain  I  expostulated.  My  land,  he  assured  me, 
had  been  put  on  record  six  months  before  and  be- 
longed to  the  town.  As  I  had  not  been  notified.  I 
forbade  his  coming  on  the  Isnd  for  any  such  purpose, 
saying  that  if  he  and  the  other  selectmen  wished  to 
do"  any  business  with  me  it  must  be  through  my 
attorney. 

The  next  day,  being  the  Sabbath,  was  passed   in 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE 


205 


quiet,  but  early  on  Monday  morning  (Aug.  28,  1899), 
1  was  warned  by  a  noise  outside  as  of  blows  from  a 
hatchet  that  they  were  taking  possession  of  my  land. 
They  had  already  a  stake  driven  down  which  I  calmly 
pulled  up,  at  the  same  time  ordering-  them  off  my  lanrl. 


.;^«- 


w^ 


■^if9ar^iS?S9S»^ 


"They  stood  in  consultation  under  a  large  apple  tree." 

The  selectman  who  had  told  me  that  the  first  thing  to 
do  was  to  take  off  all  my  trees,  drove  another,  wliich 
I  also  pulled  up.  In  his  anger  he  raised  the  ax  to 
strike  me.  when  my  little  Grace,  a  girl  of  fourteen, 
grabbed  the  ax-handle,  and  a  lady  who  was  present 
looked  calmly  in  his  face  and  said  :  "See  here,  sir,  I  am 
witness  to  this!" 


2o6  IN    THE    enemies'    LAND. 

He  sullenly  lowered  his  ax  with  a  muttered  threat 
to  arrest  us  both. 

A  telegram  to  my  attorney  at  St.  Albans,  who  came 
on  the  two  o'clock  train,  put  a  stop  to  these  outrages 
for  the  time  being,  or  rather  caused  them  to  take 
another  form.  Again  they  came  to  look  over  my  land, 
having  gotten  up  a  petition  for  which  they  had  to  go 
into  neighboring  towns  to  obtain  the  names. 

They  stood  in  consultation  under  a  large  apple-tree 
which  my  daughter  Anna  had  always  called  hers,  be- 
ing set  out  in  her  name  when  she  was  a  very  small 
child.  They  decided  that  if  the  street  crossed  my 
land  her  tree  should  be  its  center.  This  would  involve 
the  cutting  down  of  six  or  eight  more  trees. 

My  daughter  Grace  took  a  snapshot  of  the  group, 
but  two  of  them,  seeing  her  design,  stepped  back  of  the 
tree.  They  are  thus  nearly  hidden  from  view  in  the 
illustration,  but  their  figures  are  plain  enough  to  give 
the  reader  some  idea  of  the  size  of  the  tree,  whose 
growth  we  had  watched  year  by  year  until  it  seemed 
almost  like  one  of  our  own  family.  All  my  children 
had  played  beneath  its  shade,  or  found  leafy  retreats 
in  its  strong  branches.  There  they  had  studied  their 
lessons  and  read  their  story-books.  Surely  we  should 
have  laws  to  protect  not  only  the  homes  of  the  poor, 
but  "the  household  tree,"  which  is  often  the  one 
luxury  they  have  to  enjoy. 

An  utterly  false  charge  was  made  by  the  selectman 
and  industriously  circulated  through  the  village,  that 
I  struck  him  several  times  with  the  stake,  and  that  he 
raised  his  ax  in  self-defense  to  ward  off  my  blows. 

A  lady  who  was  witness  to  the  outrage  just  nar- 
rated, wrote  a  contradiction,  which  was  printed  the 
next  w^eek  in  the  "Enosburg  Standard."  I  will  give 
her  letter  in  full : 

"strange  proceedings. 

"A  woman's  right  to  defend  her  own  homestead 
was  practically  illustrated  the  other  day  at  Enosburg 


A    PERSONAL    EXPERIENCE  207 

Falls,  and  as  many  of  the  villag-c  residents  have  re- 
ceived wrung  impressions  in  relation  to  this  ati'air,  the 
writer,  being  an  eye-witness,  desires  in  the  interest  of 
justice  to  state  that  Mrs.  Giddings  was  not  the  ag- 
gressor, but  has  been,  throughout,  the  wronged  and 
injured  party. 

"On  Saturday  last,  two  selectmen  of  the  town  came 
to  look  over  the  land  for  a  road  in  front  of  her  house. 
She  accosted  them  as  they  were  going  off,  and  learned. 
to  her  surprise,  that  in  addition  to  two  rods  and  a  half 
which  had  been  purchased  of  her  neighbor,  they  were 
intending  to  take,  also,  a  strip  half  a  rod  wide  of  her 
land  for  the  proposed  road,  without  damages.  Most 
surprising  of  all,  it  had  been  so  recorded,  though  she 
had  never  been  notified  and  had  signed  no  writings. 
The  whole  thing  was  plainly  illegal,  and  when  she 
forbade  them  to  come  on  her  land  or  take  an  inch  of  it 
for  the  projected  road^  she  was  but  exercising  her  just 
rights. 

"In  defiance  of  her  prohibition,  however,  the  two 
selectmen  appeared  on  the  scene  early  Monday  morn- 
ing and  were  proceeding  at  once  to  take  possession  of 
the  land  and  cut  down  her  shade-trees.  Selectman 
had  already  driven  one  stake.  Mrs.  Giddings  pulled  it 
up,  at  the  same  time  ordering  him  off  her  premises. 
He  drove  another,  which  she  also  pulled  up.  He  then 
ordered  her  off  and  raised  his  ax,  as  if  intending  to 
strike  her.  Very  naturally  she  raised  her  only  weapon 
of  defense,  the  stake  she  had  just  pulled  up  and  still 
held  in  her  hand.  He  was  advancing  nearer,  with  ax 
upraised,  when  her  daughter  Grace,  a  little  damsel  of 
fourteen,  rushed  between  and  seized  his  ax-handle, 
which  he  at  last  sullenly  lowered.  Thus  the  matter 
ended  for  the  time  being. 

"It  can  hardly  be  expected  that  the  selectmen  who 
had  to  turn  back  with  all  their  road-making  apparatus, 
in  melancholy  procession,  will  easily  forgive  being 
routed  bv  a  woman  :  but  they  ought  to  have  sufficient 


208 


IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 


manliness  to  face  the  music  and  not  misrepresent  her 
in  such  a  cowardly  fashion. 

"The  writer  is  from  Massachusetts,  and  may  be  par- 
doned for  asking  if  it  is  possible  that  a  woman  in  Ver- 
mont has  no  right  to  resist  an  underhanded  attempt  to 
steal  her  property ;  no  right  to  protect  her  little  home- 


GRACE    GIDDINGS. 


stead  when  illegally  seized  upon,  without  calling  down 
upon  herself  such  a  display  of  ruffianly  outrage? 

"Elizabeth  E.  Flagg." 

I  will  also  quote  another  item,  taken  from  the  same 
paper:  "The  selectmen  held  another  meeting  here, 
Monday,  to  begin  work  on  the  road  known  as  the 
Pearl  street  extension.  This  is  a  matter  over  which 
there  has  been  a  great  deal  of  discussion,  and  more 
or  less  ill-feeling.  It  will  be  remembered  that  last 
year  the  selectmen  laid  out  the  street  on  land  owned 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  209 

In-  Mrs.  S.  P.  (iiddiiigs  ami  Mr.  W.  A.  Kendall. 
Land  daniag-e  of  $70  was  awarded  to  Mr.  Kendall,  who 
accepted  the  same.  Mrs.  (jiddings  gave  a  strip  of 
land  one-half  rod  wide,  and  asked  no  land  damage,  but 
made  some  conditions,  as  she  claims,  though  it  is  not 
recorded,  regarding  a  row  of  trees  which  was  on  the 
strip,  and  also  in  relation  to  grading.  It  seems  that 
on  Monday  the  selectmen  proposed  to  cut  down  the 
trees,  to  which  Mrs.  Giddings  objected,  claiming  that 
the  agreement  was  that  they  were  not  to  be  disturbed. 
Quite  a  discussion  followed,  and  no  further  steps  were 
taken  by  the  selectmen.  Attorney  H.  N.  Post,  of  St. 
Albans,  was  in  town,  Monday,  on  business." 

For  eight  years,  on  an  average  of  four  to  six  times  a 
year,  this  farce  has  been  repeated,  the  selectmen  coming 
\o  look  over  the  land,  and  claiming  that  they  were  to 
lay  out  the  street  at  once  and  cut  down  my  trees. 
These  performances  altogether,  as  nearly  as  I  can  cal- 
culate, have  cost  the  town  between  one  and  two 
hundred  dollars.  These  men  draw  their  two  dollars 
apiece  each  time,  and  T,  being  a  woman,  have  no 
resource  but  to  help  pay  the  taxes  for  disturbing  my 
own  peace.  This  is  one  of  the  many  ways  in  which 
the  poor  are  robbed  and  made  homeless  by  the  terrible 
arraignment  of  the  vile  officials  of  our  time. 

The  "New  Era"  of  February,  1900,  contains  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"In  1866,  five-eighths  of  the  pcoy)le  in  the  United 
States  owned  their  homes,  and  only  three-eighths  were 
the  prey  of  landlordism.  In  t886,  three-eighths  owned 
their  own  homes,  and  five-eighths  were  reduced  to 
the  rank  of  tenants.  Since  that  time  the  confiscation 
of  homes  by  the  money-power  has  gone  on  in  an  in- 
creased ratio,  and  it  cannot  be  a  great  while  before  the 
final  result  will  be  reached,  and  the  entire  population 
of  laborers  become  homeless  and  landless. 

The  terrible  crimes  committed  to  get  possession  of 
those  homes  will  never  be  known  until  the  books  are 


210  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

opened  on  high,  and  all  the  deeds  of  darkness  brought 
to  light. 

In  1875,  while  canvassing,  a  poor  blind  woman  told 
me  her  piteous  story,  how  she  and  her  husband  were 
robbed  of  their  home,  consisting  of  eleven  acres  of 
land  and  comfortable  buildings. 

A  wealthy  farmer,  whose  land  joined  theirs,  tried  for 
several  years  to  get  possession  of  their  place.  Three  or 
four  other  poor  families  living  in  that  town  had  been 
driven  from  their  homes  by  various  false  accusations, 
or  some  trouble  about  roads.  (She  could  not  remem- 
ber full  particulars  about  their  cases.) 

The  farmer,  who  at  last  succeeded  in  getting  their 
home,  first  moved  his  line  fence  onto  their  land  a 
few  feet,  and  not  many  months  after  moved  it  still 
further  on  their  soil.  Knowing  his  object  was  to  in- 
volve them  in  a  lawsuit,  they  said  nothing. 

One  day  this  wealthy  man  came  to  their  home  and 
ordered  them  to  move  the  fence  ten  feet  onto  her  hus- 
band's land,  so  as  to  straighten  the  fence.  This  her 
husband  did,  allowing  the  rich  landowner  a  strip  of 
their  land  about  ten  feet  wide. 

A  few  months  after  an  officer  came  to  her  house  with 
a  paper  to  arrest  her  husband.  She  never  knew  ex- 
actly what  the  document  contained,  but  she  was  sure 
that  it  embraced  a  false  charge.  I  ascertained  that  it 
was  a  libel  suit. 

The  court  made  a  decision  against  her  husband.  He 
was  compelled  to  mortgage  their  home  to  pay  costs. 

Not  long  after,  an  officer  came  with  another  paper, 
and  told  her  husband  that  they  must  leave  their  home 
or  he  would  put  them  in  prison. 

Since  they  feared  the  officer  would  accomplish  his 
threat,  they  vacated  their  house.  Her  husband,  who 
had  always  been  a  day-laborer,  was  broken  down  in 
health,  and  unable  to  work  as  in  his  younger  days. 
The  grief  of  losing  his  home  and  the  disgrace  of  a 
lawsuit  was  the  means  of  his  dying  within  a  few  weeks. 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  211 

Before  this  sorrow  tht  poor  woman  had  never  been 
troubled  with  her  eyes,  and  the  doctor  said  her  constant 
weeping-  was  the  cause  of  her  being  stricken  with  sud- 
den bHndness. 

At  the  time  she  related  her  story  to  me,  her  daugh- 
ter was  obliged  to  work  out  by  the  day  and  take  in 
washing  for  their  support. 

One  poor  old  soldier  who  was  wounded  several  times 
in  the  Civil  War,  and  owned  a  small  home  of  three- 
fourths  of  an  acre,  was  robbed  of  a  strip  of  land,  and 
his  fine  row  of  shade-trees  cut  down,  no  return  being 
made  him  for  the  damage.  There  was  a  farm  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  road,  and  no  trees,  but  that  prop- 
erty was  spared,  as  its  owner  could  oblige  the  town  to 
pay  him.  The  poor,  childless  old  veteran  came  to  my 
house  and  told  his  story.  He  received  no  sympathy, 
he  said  ;  the  selectmen  who  cut  down  his  beautiful  trees, 
the  pride  of  his  heart,  adding  insult  to  injury  by  laugh- 
ing at  the  distress  of  himself  and  feeble  wife. 

I  once  had  a  talk  with  a  tax-collector,  which  is  inter- 
esting enough  to  give  at  some  length  : 

"I  do  not  know  as  it  will  do  for  me  to  tell  you  what 
the  State's  Attorney  told  me  just  after  I  was  elected 
tax  collector,"  he  said. 

"I  do  not  think  you  can  tell  me  any  news  in  regard 
to  the  law.  I  know  there  are  white  women  who  are 
bought  and  sold,  and  held  in  a  condition  worse  than 
negro  slavery." 

"You  did  not  know  it  was  safe  to  take  possession  of 
them  for  taxes,  did  you?" 

"Certainly  not,"  I  said,  incredulously.  "I  don't  be- 
lieve any  man  would  dare  be  so  vile." 

"Tliey  would  not  dare,  if  a  woman  could  get  her 
suit  in  court ;  the  State's  Attorney  told  me  it  would 
be  safe,  for  no  attorney  would  dare  bring  such  a  case 
into  court." 

"This  puts  me  in  mind."  I  answered,  "of  what  the 
little  bov  said  to  his  mother:     'Well,  mamma,  I  could 


212  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

love  you  better  than  papa,  but  you  see  we  men  must 
hang  together.'  So  I  suppose  a  gentlemanly  attorney 
would  not  dare  bring  so  vile  a  suit  against  a  man." 

"That  is  just  it.  I  will  tell  you,  word  for  word, 
what  the  State's  Attorney  told  me  when  I  was  first 
elected  to  the  office,  if  you  will  agree  not  to  be  offended. 
You  are  interested  in  such  things,  and  may  make  a 
little  use  of  it,  only  I  don't  want  you  to  bring  my  name 
into  it.  It  would  not  do  for  it  to  get  out  that  I  told 
you." 

"If  I  don't  tell  your  name,  can  I  tell  the  rest?" 

"If  you  think  it  will  do  any  good,  or  help  your  sex. 
I  always  like  to  do  as  I  would  be  done  by,  and  I  did  not 
go  to  the  State's  Attorney  because  I  wanted  to  take 
advantage  of  the  poor,  but  I  wanted  to  know  just  what 
the  law  was,  and  I  found  it  was  even  worse  than  I 
expected.  The  attorney  told  me,  that  in  case  a  woman 
could  not  pay  her  taxes  it  would  be  safe  for  me  to  take 
her  or  anything  she  had." 

"You  don't  pretend  to  say  you  could  take  her 
daughter?" 

"Yes ;  if  she  was  past  a  certain  age  and  under  a  cer- 
tain age.  The  attorney  told  me  that  it  would  be  per- 
fectly safe  if  a  woman  could  not  pay  her  taxes.  No 
attorney  would  dare  take  up  her  case,  and  the  best 
way  for  her  to  do  would  be  to  keep  quiet  and  not  let 
it  be  known.  I  know  it  is  not  right,  but  things  will 
never  be  any  better  until  the  women  demand  to  have  it 
different." 

"You  would  vote  to  have  it  different,  I  suppose?" 

"Certainly  ;  but  the  men  can  do  nothing  till  the  wpm- 
en  demand  it." 

This  conversation  was  enough  to  convince  me  of  the 
terrible  crimes  being  practiced  upon  some  of  the  poor 
female  tax-payers. 

I  could  relate  many  such  cases,  but  believe  I  have 
already  told  enough  to  convince  the  reader  that  these 
acts  of  oppression  are  being  constantly  committed,  and 


A  I'liRSONAL  liXrERIENCi;  213 

there  is  urgent  need  for  every  Christian  patriot,  in 
the  name  and  strenjii^th  of  the  Lord  to  demand  righteous 
laws  by  which  the  small  lioklings  of  the  poor  shall 
be  protected,  and  every  laboring  person  be  allowed 
land  or  property  exempt  from  taxation  to  the  value 
of  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  The  extra  per  cent  in  taxes 
should  be  added  to  the  tax  of  those  who  own  property 
valued  at  three  thousand  dollars  or  more. 

Thus  the  poor  will  be  entirely  relieved  from  the  bur- 
den of  taxation,  which  should  be  placed  on  those  who 
have  heaped  up  great  fortunes  by  absorbing  the  wealth 
created  by  the  labor  of  the  poor,  and  then  use  their 
wealth  in  corrupting  legislatures  and  buying  laws  by 
which  thev  may  still  further  rob  the  poor. 

I  trust  that  the  Holy  Spirit  will  stir  up  the  hearts 
of  those  who  may  read  these  lines  to  realize  the  terrible 
condition  of  a  nation  in  which  the  rights  of  the  poor 
are  not  respected,  and  evil  men  and  seducers  wax 
worse  and  worse. 

Isaiah  16:3,  4,  5. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  CURRENT  PHRASE UNINTELLIGIBLE  DEFEAT  IN  AN 

ELECTION — A  \YOMAN  IN  THE  CASE. 

It  is  disheartening  to  see  professed  Christians  keep 
silent  while  Godless  and  tyrannical  laws  are  enacted, 
and  the  power  of  the  rich  and  oppression  of  the  poor 
increase  every  day. 

In  one  of  our  American  towns  two  women  were  in 
court  charged  with  shoplifting.  The  evidence  against 
them  was  conclusive ;  they  were  taken  in  the  act,  and 
confessed  their  guilt.  Counsel  for  the  shoplifters 
asked  for  suspension  of  their  sentences  on  the  ground 
that  they  were  "highly  connected."  The  assistant  dis- 
trict attorney  joined  in  the  request,  and  the  judge  sus- 
pended sentence. 

On  the  same  day  a  woman  was  arraigned  in  court, 
in  the  same  city,  charged  with  stealing  a  pint  of  milk 
from  a  doorwav.  She  testified  she  stole  the  milk  to 
feed  her  hungry  baby.  As  she  was  not  "highly  con- 
nected," she  was  promptly  sent  to  jail  for  ten  days. 
No  counsel  pleaded  for  her,  and  the  assistant  district 
attorney  was  silent.  No  mercy  was  shown  her,  al- 
though she  stole  to  feed  her  starving  child. 

Unthinking  men  and  women  are  yielding  to  the  cur- 
rent belief  that  the  poor  and  the  criminal  are  one  and 
the  same.  While  certain  kinds  of  crime  are  usually 
committed  by  the  poor,  who  seek  temporary  relief  from 
an  almost  unbearable  destitution,  the  higher  grade  of 
crime  finds  its  natural  home  among  the  well-to-do,  and 
is  developed  more  frequently  among  those  who  are 
considered  the  better  class. 

Let  us  consider  what  cause  lies  back  of  the  new 
tendency  in  woman  to  form  hatchet-brigades  and  strug- 

214 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  215 

gle  single-handed  against  vice.  It  is  the  courage  of  a 
pure  soul  that  leads  women  forth  to  battle  for  right 
and  justice,  but  patient  waiting  on  the  Lord  is  more 
becoming  the  saints.  Matthew  26th  chapter,  51st  and 
52nd  verses. 

Man  is  too  easily  led  by  vain  and  selfish  ambition, 
and  falls  an  easy  victim  to  the  snares  of  the  designing. 

He  who  trusts  a  prostitute  will  become  prostrate 
himself.     Sensuality  is  death  to  the  heroic  soul. 

If  this  is  to  be  a  nation  of  morality  and  religion,  we 
must  have  brave,  honorable  men,  and  pure,  gentle 
women.  Then  divorces  will  cease.  When  the  same 
chastity  and  purity  are  demanded  of  the  sexes  alike, 
soul-unity  will  become  the  rule.  As  long  as  there  are 
two  standards  of  morality,  the  will  of  our  Lord  can 
never  "be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  done  in  heaven." 

I  will  quote  a  few  words  from  an  address  delivered 
to  an  assembly  of  her  own  sex  by  a  woman  whose 
name,  in  shame  and  pity  for  her,  I  withhold.  Enough, 
that  as  she  is  the  wife  of  a  famous  man,  it  would  be 
everywhere  recognized.     She  says  : 

"When  man  finds  in  woman  a  thorough  apprecia- 
tion of  his  work  and  aims,  when  the  mind  of  woman 
becomes  the  perfect  supplement  and  complement  of  the 
mind  of  man,  as  the  Creator  intended  it  to  be,  and  gives 
over  trying  to  be  superior,  then  will  all  the  discus- 
sions as  to  woman's  rights  and  privileges  cease." 

Women  who  make  such  statements  only  expose  their 
ignorance  and  lack  of  common  sense,  and  bring  con- 
tempt on  their  own  sex.  The  Creator  never  "intended" 
woman's  mind  to  be  "the  supplement  and  complement 
of  the  mind  of  man."  He  gave  her  a  mind  of  her  own, 
endowed  with  a  quicker  perception  of  moral  purity^  a 
keener  intuitive  grasp  of  right,  and  the  mother  heart 
to  rise  in  generous  indignation  when  the  innocent  are 
ruined  and  the  weak  overpowered  through  man-made 
laws,  in  the  framing  of  which  she  is  allowed  no  voice. 

True  men  do  not  admire  women  who  under  any 


2l6  IN    THE   enemies'  LAND. 

circumstances  advocate  compromise  with  sin  which 
wrecks  the  peace  of  sorrowing  mothers.  Men  do  not 
respect  women  who  say  such  things,  whether  they  do 
it  from  a  desire  to  be  popular  with  the  other  sex,  or, 
as  was  probably  the  motive  in  the  instance  just  given, 
to  win  votes  for  their  husbands.  If  she  who  gave  this 
remarkable  advice  to  her  sex  could  be  placed  where  so 
many  of  her  sisters  are  placed  today,  under  the  iron 
heel  of  legal  tyranny,  she  might  "appreciate"  less  what 
man  has  done  for  her.  How  do  American  women,  by 
the  way,  appreciate  such  wholesale  abuse  as  was  re- 
cently heaped  upon  them  by  a  certain  police  magistrate 
in  New  York?  I  clip  from  a  paper  of  June  24,  1899, 
both  this  item  and  the  above  being  published  the  same 
week: 

"women  are  liars,  says  a  magistrate. 

"New  York,  June  23. — A  case  wherein  a  plump, 
healthy  looking  woman  brought  her  cadaverous  ap- 
pearing husband,  who  is  dying  of  consumption,  into 
court,  on  the  charge  of  non-support,  furnished  occa- 
sion to  Magistrate ,  in  the  Center  Street  Police 

Court,  the  other  day  to  relieve  his  mind  of  some  rather 
uncomplimentary  opinions  relative  to  women.  He  dis- 
believed the  charge  made  by  the  woman  and  discharged 
the  man,  and  then  relieved  himself  of  the  following: 
'Women  cannot  tell  the  truth.  I  would  not  believe  any 
of  them  under  oath.  Nine-tenths  of  them  are  liars. 
If  some  one  told  them  a  man  had  murdered  a  thou- 
sand people  they  would  say  it  was  a  million.  I  would 
rather  take  the  word  of  one  man  than  a  hundred 
women.'  " 

Some  light  may  be  shed  on  the  above  item  if  I 
explain  that  at  the  time  I  was  trying  to  obtain  a 
divorce,  my  attorneys  tried  to  make  me  ask  for  one 
on  the  ground  of  non-support.  Then  these  unpleasant 
charges,  the  true  cause  of  my  divorce,  would  not  need 
to  be  referred  to ;  but  I  was  fully  able  to  support  my- 
self and  family,  and  refused,  in  spite  of  all  their  argu- 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  217 

ments,  to  subscribe  to  a  lie  by  seeking  a  divorce  on 
false  grounds.  1  am  convinced  that  many  like  cases 
have  been  hushed  up  in  a  similar  way.  If  I  had  not 
insisted  that  the  truth  should  be  told,  my  poor,  sick 
husband  could  have  been  dragged  into  court  to  answer 
to  a  charge  absurd  on  its  face,  while  I,  being  strong  and 
healthy,  would  have  certainly  lost  my  case,  and,  per- 
haps, been  called  a  "liar"  as  well  as  this  unfortunate 
young  woman,  whose  charge  of  non-support  against 
her  consumptive  husband  was  plainly  only  a  cover  for 
far  more  serious  accusations. 

There  are  cases  where  lawyers  can  stifle  justice  by 
l)ersuading  women  to  keep  (|uiet  and  not  disgrace  them- 
selves and  families  by  letting  these  wrongs  and  out- 
rages come  to  light. 

I  was  determined  to  let  the  lodgemen  know  my  case, 
and  seeing  some  detective  advertisements,  T  selected 
several  and  wrote  to  the  addresses  named,  in  a  hasty 
business  manner,  signing  only  S.  P.  Giddings,  and 
making  a  Masonic  sign  which  I  had  seen  my  husband 
use.  All  wrote  me  they  were  Masons.  Some  were 
both  Masons  and  Odd  Fellows,  and  also  belonged  to 
other  secret  societies.  In  reply,  I  sent  each  of  them 
some  anti-secret  tracts,  marking  certain  passages,  in 
order  that  they  might  understand  my  case  was  against 
the  lodge,  and  signed  my  name  in  full. 

I  was  much.anuiscd  to  see  shortly  after,  the  adver- 
tisements of  several  lady  detectives  appear  in  all  the 
papers  from  which  I  had  taken-  the  former  addresses, 
one  being  but  a  few  doors  from  the  office  of  the  New 
England  Anti-Secret  Association.  But  I  paid  these 
"ads"  no  attention,  and  patiently  waited  to  see  if  the 
detectives  to  whom  I  had  written  would  look  up  my 
case. 

A  few  months  passed,  when  I  received  a  mysterious 
letter,  postmarked  New  York,  and  containing  only  these 
words : 


2l8  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

"Write  to  Collamer  &  Co.,  1006  F  St.,  Washington, 
D.  C." 

I  threw  the  letter  aside.  But  after  a  few  days  my 
woman's  curiosity  got  the  upper  hand,  and,  thinking 
they  might  be  pension  attorneys,  and  as  my  widow's 
portion  had  been  withheld  from  me  I  wrote,  as  directed, 
to  "Collamer  &  Co."  In  reply.  I  received  a  letter  from 
them,  saying  that  they  were  not  pension  attorneys,  but 
got  arrears  of  pension.  I  put  my  case  in  their  hands 
to  collect  Mr.  Giddings'  arrears  of  pension  from  the 
time  of  his  discharge  from  the  army,  but  the  claim  was 
not  allowed,  and,  as  near  as  I  could  learn,  his  claim  for 
arrears  of  pension  was  not  considered. 

The  following  letters  will  explain  more  fully : 

"January  31,  1901. 

"Dear  }\Iadam  :  After  all  this  delay  we  regret  to  in- 
form you  that  the  claim  filed  by  us  on  September  25, 
1899,  for  the  children  of  your  husband,  is  disallowed 
as  per  inclosed  notice — the  reason  being  because  the 
soldier  was  paid  in  full  and  $25  over.  The  writer  is  to 
see  Senator  Proctor  this  evening,  but  there  is  not  the 
least  use  in  even  referring  this  matter  to  him  under  the 
circumstances.  We  therefore  reluctantly  drop  the  sub- 
ject. We  have  none  of  your  papers  other  than  your 
letters  to  us.    Regretfully  yours, 

"Collamer  &  Co. 
"Mrs.  Sarah  P.  Giddings,  Box  13,  Enosburg  Falls,  Vt." 
"Form  yy.  Claim  No.  115,274. 

"notification  of  disallowance. 

"Treasury  Department, 
"Office  of  Auditor  for  the  War  I3epartment. 

"Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  29,  1901. 
"Collamer  &  Co.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"Sirs  :  The  claim  for  pay,  bounty  and  allowances  of 
Anna  D.  Giddings  and  Hugh  A.  Giddings,  children, 
and  Sarah  Giddings,  guardian  of  Grace  O.  Giddings, 
minor  child  of  Lewis  Giddings,  private,  G,  13th  Vt.  V. 
Inf.,  has  been  examined  and  disallowed  by  Certificate 
No.  351,549  for  the  following  named  reasons — viz: 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  219 

"Soldier  was  paid  pay  and  clolhin<;-  in  full,  lie  also 
received  $25  bounty,  to  which  not  entitled.  There  is  no 
law  authorizing  payment  of  bounty  for  service  in  the 
above  named  organization.     Respectfully, 

"F.  E.  RiTTM.vN',  Auditor. 

"January  30,  1901." 

At  the  time  Mr.  Giddings  enlisted  he  received  a 
bounty  of  twenty- five  dollars,  which  was  given  by  the 
town  or  state.  Now  that  he  is  in  his  grave  those  unjust 
officials  accuse  him  of  not  being  entitled  to  the  small 
bounty  which  was  freely  given  to  him.  His  pension 
certificate  is  sutiticient  proof  that  he  was  not  justly  pen- 
sioned and  that  his  heirs  are  entitled  to  his  arrears. 
Please  see  pages  174-175  and  191.  These  beautiful 
lines  from  an  unknown  author  may  awake  the  con- 
science of  some  reader : 

Is  this  the  land  our  fathers  loved, 

The  freedom  which  they  toiled  to  win  ? 

Is  this  the  soil  whereon  they  moved? 
Are  these  the  graves  they  slumber  in  ? 

Shall  tongues  be  mute,  when  deeds  are  wrought, 
Which  well  might  shame  extremest  hell  ? 

Shall  freemen  lack  the  indignant  tho't? 
Shall  Pity's  bosom  cease  to  swell? 

Shall  Honor  bleed  ?    Shall  Truth  succumb  ? 

Shall  pen,  and  press,  and  soul  he  dumb? 

Perhaps  in  this  connection  another  detective  story 
will  be  interesting,  though  it  belongs  properly  to  an 
earlier  part  of  this  volume. 

A  short  time  after  my  divorce  was  granted,  I  came 
up  to  Enosburg,  and  called  on  Attorney  Ladd.  He 
congratulated  me  on  being  so  successful  in  securing 
my  home  and  obtaining  the  custody  of  my  children. 

"We  thought  we  had  the  rascals,"  he  remarked, 
using  very  similar  language  to  that  employed  in  his 


220  IN    THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

excitement  when  first  informed  of  the  plot  to  take  me 
off  to  the  insane  asyhim.  "But  they  have  slipped  the 
noose  this  time,  and  will  have  a  chance  to  go  on  a 
while  longer ;  hut  I  think  we  shall  get  the  halter  on 
them  yet.  Both  the  doctors  told  me  you  were  insane," 
he  continued.  "One  said  you  had  been  delirious  for 
years  on  religion,  but  he  did  not  think  you  dangerous 
unless  your  religious  frenzy  should  take  a  violent  turn. 
At  the  same  time  he  spoke  with  such  respect  and  sym- 
pathy of  yourself  and  family  that  a  person  who  knew 
nothing  of  the  case  would  never  suspect  the  game  they 
were  playing.  But  I  saw  through  their  scheme.  Un- 
less they  could  somehow  make  way  with  you,  they 
feared  exposure  of  their  villainy.  But  they  made  a 
mistake  when  they  came  to  me.  I  knew  too  much 
about  the  case." 

Mr.  Ladd  smiled  complacently,  as  at  some  amusing 
recollection,  and  continued:  "I  knew  by  the  sudden 
attention  they  paid  me  that  they  had  some  game  up, 
before  they  told  me  a  word.  As  soon  as  I  found  out 
what  it  was,  I  saw  Judge  Royce,  for  I  knew  if  any  one 
could  foil  them  in  their  plans  he  could.  But  he 
seemed  so  strangely  indifferent  that  I  gave  up  hopes 
of  getting  any  help  from  him,  and  laid  my  plans  as  to 
what  I  should  do  in  case  they  took  you  from  your 
children.  I  do  not  believe  there  is  another  family  in 
the  State  so  near  perfection  as  yours,  and  every  one 
knows  it  is  you  who  has  supported  them,  and  not 
their  father,  who  has  always  been  a  hindrance  rather 
than  a  help.  I  believed  these  facts  would  go  a  great 
ways,  and  knowing  there  were  others  on  your  side,  I 
calculated  on  giving  the  villains  a  hard  tussle  without 
the  Judge's  help.  But  one  day  two  strangers  came 
into  my  office  and  told  me  that  Judge  Royce  sent  them 
to  find  out  what  I  knew  about  your  case. 

"  'Are  you  willing  to  take  my  word  without  investi- 
gation?' I  asked. 

"  'Yes,'  they  answered.     To  which  I  returned  :  'You 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  221 

are  no  detectives;  you  don't  know  your  business,'  and 
resumed  my  writing. 

"You  should  liave  seen  how  disappointed  they  looked 
as  they  told  me  they  had  come  a  long  way,  and  that 
Judge  Royce  had  sent  them  with  instructions  not  to 
mention  the  subject  to  any  one  only  Attorney  Ladd. 
They  made  some  inquiries,  which  I  refused  to  answer, 
and  gave  them  to  understand  that  I  should  have  noth- 
ing to  say  about  you,  good  or  bad." 

"Why,  Mr.  Ladd !"  I  exclaimed ;  "when  you  knew 
so  well  how  I  have  been  treated  for  years !" 

"Yes,  but  you  see  I  had  an  object  in  view.  Had  I 
told  them  all  I  knew  they  would  have  gone  no  further, 
and  had  only  one  man's  word.  I  wanted  them  to  have 
more." 

"  'If  you  know  your  business,'  I  finall}-  said,  'you  will 
go  to  the  records  and  get  the  dates  of  the  birth  of  all 
Mrs.  Giddings'  children,  and  then  go  to  the  woolen 
mill  and  look  over  the  time-books.' 

"They  did  so,  and  found  that  your  name  appeared  on 
the  book  when  one  of  your  children  was  but  four 
weeks  old.  Another  time  you  had  been  only  a  week 
out  of  the  factory  when  one  of  your  children  was  born. 
I  then  gave  them  the  names  of  the  twenty  men  who 
got  together  to  tar  and  feather  you  in  '75.  I  told  them 
to  go  to  these  men  and  find  out  all  they  knew  against 
you.  They  came  back  and  reported  that  most  of  the 
men.  when  questioned,  denied  any  knowledge  of  the 
aiTair ;  but  Mitchell  and  a  few  others  were  willing  to 
tell  what  they  knew  about  it.  I  then  gave  them  the 
names  of  the  two  doctors  and  others  in  the  ring.  Do 
you  know,  they  got  positive  proof  from  these  black- 
guards that  everything  you  have  accused  them  of  was 
true.  They  were  here  two  weeks,  and  covered  up 
their  real  business  by  claiming  that  they  were  looking 
over  property  to  purchase.  Before  they  went  away  I 
told  them  what  T  knew  about  the  case." 

As    the    Cionstitution   of   the   United    States    is   not 


22  2  IN    THE   ENEMIES'  LAND. 

wholly  undermined  and  the  press  not  yet  muzzled,  I 
will  quote  from  the  Saturday  Globe  of  September  21, 
1901,  the  following:  "The  Martyred  Garfield's 
Widow. — Airs.  James  A.  Garfield  is  also  living.  In 
wealth,  in  retirement  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  her 
beautiful  home  at  Mentor,  the  widow  of  the  President 
who  fell  a  victim  to  misguided  political  strife  probably 
now  thinks  of  the  days,  a  score  of  years  ago,  when 
millions  watched  with  her  in  spirit  at  her  husband's 
Ijedside  and  wept  with  her  at  his  grave.  The  nation 
never  knew  Lucretia  Garfield  as  it  knew  the  wives 
of  other  Presidents.  She  never  cared  for  society,  and 
as  mistress  of  the  White  House,  during  the  brief 
period  of  her  husband's  occupancy  of  the  Executive 
chair,  she  was  little  seen.  She  was  in  ill  health 
much  of  the  time.  Mrs.  Garfield's  maiden  name  was 
Lucretia  Rudolph,  and  she  was  the  pupil  of  her  hus- 
band at  Hiram  College  long  before  he  married  her. 
They  began  their  home-life  under  modest  circum- 
stances, and  accumulated  little  during  the  President's 
lifetime.  His  estate,  at  death,  amounted  to  $25,000. 
His  life  insurance  was  $50,000.  Could  he  return  now 
and  see  the  wealth  and  luxury  of  his  family  he  would, 
indeed,  be  amazed.  His  widow  to-day  is  worth  a 
million.  W^hen  he  died.  Congress  voted  her  his 
salary  for  a  full  year,  in  addition  to  an  annual  pen- 
sion of  $5,000.  A  fund  was  raised  by  the  public 
amounting  to  $363,000.  Cyrus  W.  Field  invested  this 
for  Mrs.  Garfield,  and  it  has  nearly  trebled  now.  In 
addition  to  her  vast  wealth,  she  has  what  is  infinitely 
more  precious — the  memory  of  the  repeated  expres- 
sions of  her  husband,  during  his  long  illness,  in  which 
he  spoke  of  her  love  for  and  devotion  to  him." 

I  will  here  relate  the  condition  of  another  woman 
of  my  native  land,- the  wdfe  of  a  poor,  disabled  Union 
soldier,  who  acknowledged  to  me  that  she  had  sold 
herself  for  money,  and  said :  "Mrs.  Giddings,  I  do 
not   live   this   kind   of  life  through   choice,  but   I  am 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  223 

afraid  to  die,  and  this  is  the  only  way  that  I  can  keep 
myself  and  children    from   starving." 

These  cases,  as  well  as  my  own,  show  that  the  gov- 
ernment money  is  not  rightly  expended.  Too  much 
power  is  given  the  ofificials.  Those  in  authority  should 
be  held  responsil)le  for  the  proper  distribution  of  public 
money.  It  is  the  duty  of  tlic  people  to  see  that  right 
is  done  to  all  classes/and  the  officials  should  be  made 
to  understand  that  they  hold  offices  of  responsibility 
and  are  servants  of  the  people.  Search  out  the  offi- 
cials who  are  guilty  of  treason  and  the  secret  empire 
will  behold  its  weakness. 

The  lawlessness  which  prevails  in  many  of  our  coun- 
try districts  and  has  frequently  come  to  the  surface  in 
developments  of  the  lynching  spirit,  once  unknown, 
would  be  incredible  to  one  unacquainted  with  the  real 
facts. 

It  is  stated  that  there  are  more  murders  committed 
in  the  United  States  than  in  any  other  country  in  the 
world,  and  in  this  country  murders  are  less  frequently 
punished  than  elsewhere.  In  1890  there  were  7,386 
murders  committed  in  the  United  States.  In  1889  one 
murderer  out  of  forty-five  was  executed,  while  in  1895 
but  one  murderer  in  every  seventy-four.  Lynchings, 
on  the  other  hand,  have  greatly  increased.  In  1899 
there  were  ninety-two  people  lynched  in  the  United 
States. 

The   "Burlington   Daily   News"   of   September  21. 

1900,  said: 

"In  Canada  last  year  in  all  twenty-five  persons  were 
tried  for  murder,  with  the  result  that  there  were  eleven 
convictions,  all  followed  by  the  infliction  of  the  death 
penalty,  nine  acquittals,  three  prisoners  detained  as 
insane  and  two  cases  in  which  the  prosecutions  are 
still  pending.  The  proportion  of  murder  cases  in  the 
United  States  is  much  larger  and  the  Canadian  news- 
papers are  congratulating  themselves  on  the  compara- 
tive freedom  of  their  country  from  crimes  of  violence. 


224  IN    THE   ENEMIES    LAND. 

The  Ottawa  'Journal'  attributes  the  difference  largely 
to  the  lax  laws  and  the  lax  administration  of  the  law 
in  the  United  States.  'In  Canada,'  we  are  told,  'there 
are  practically  no  delays.  There  is  no  appeal  to  the 
second  court.  No  stop  is  possible  except  by  the  action 
of  the  minister  of  justice,  which  is  rare  and  to  which 
the  majority  of  Canadians  strenuously  object  under 
any  circumstances.  Of  twenty-five  accused  murderers 
in  Canada  last  year,  eleven  were  hanged,  or  nearly  one 
in  two.  Of  the  840  accused  murderers  in  the  United 
States  in  partly  the  corresponding  year,  109  were  exe- 
cuted or  one  in  seventy-one.'  "' 

Is  it  not  the  duty  of  every  person  whose  eyes  have 
been  opened  to  see  how  the  mystery  of  injustice  is 
working  in  church  and  State  to  do  what  he  can  to  aid 
the  few  who  are  struggling  against  the  tide  of  iniquity? 
Secret  society  men  put  their  hired  tools  in  seats  of 
office,  while  noble  men  who  would  honor  the  office-are 
crowded  out.  It  is  thus  that  the  enemies  of  woman, 
the  foes  of  liberty  and  of  all  the  good  and  pure,  come 
to  the  front,  and  we  complain  of  "the  rascals  in  office," 
and  are  either  blind,  or  wilfully  shut  our  eyes  to  the 
reason  why  they  are  there. 

Women  can  do  much  to  hinder  knaves  and  tools 
from  getting  into  office,  even  without  the  ballot. 
Though  a  poor  woman,  without  friends  or  influence, 
I  have  several  times,  with  the  help  of  the  Lord-,  turned 
the  tide  of  elections  in  the  town  and  county  where  I 
live.  On  one  occasion  I  started  out  with  an  excellent 
book,  as  if  on  a  canvassing  trip.  After  I  had  finished 
showing  it,  I  would  incidentally  remark,  in  a  careless 
manner,  on  the  fitness  of  one  of  the  political  candidates 
and  the  defects  of  the  other,  and  was  sure  of  a  voter 
every  time.  The  wives  would  take  an  interest  in  the 
elections  as  soon  as  they  realized  that  the  question  be- 
tween the  two  candidates  was  one  of  moral  character, 
and  would  influence  their  husbands.  I  recall  one  par- 
ticular instance  where,  after  showing  my  book  to  the 


A  PKRSONAL  EXPERIENCE  225 

lady  of  the  house,  I  asked  if  her  husband  was  inter- 
ested in  the  approaching  election. 

"No,"'  she  replied  ;  "he  does  not  intend  to  vote  at  all." 

I  then  called  her  attention  to  the  fact  that  one  of  the 
men  would  be  an  honor  to  our  town,  and  related  a  few 
things  I  had  heard  in  his  praise.  The  result  was  a 
talk  from  the  wife  to  her  husband,  which  so  influenced 
him  in  favor  of  that  particular  candidate  that  he  not 
only  changed  his  mind  about  voting  himself,  but  was 
out  nearly  all  night  with  his  team  looking  up  other 
voters. 

On  another  occasion,  a  town  representative  was  to 
be  elected.  One  of  the  candidates  had  been  hired  to 
join  ihe  Masons,  on  the  promise,  as  I  was  credibly  in- 
formed, that  he  should  be  elected  for  this  office.  Oth- 
erwise his  name  would  not  be  allowed  to  be  put  up. 

I  received  the  news  after  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
and  could  see  no  way,  the  election  being  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  to  frustrate  their  plans.  Yet  I  felt  it  im- 
portant that  this  should  be  done.  I  felt  that,  perhaps, 
this  young  man's  soul,  who  had  thus  sold  his  birth- 
right for  a  mess  of  pottage,  might  hinge  on  this  elec- 
tion. He  must  be  taught  his  folly,  if  possible,  through 
the  bitter  lesson  of  defeat.  But  how  ?  I  thought  over 
different  ])lans  during  the  night,  but  it  was  not  until 
morning  broke  that  I  thought  of  a  feasible  one. 

I  took  my  satchel  and  started  out  as  if  I  was  about 
to  take  the  morning  train.  A  kind  Providence  guided 
me,  for  I  had  gone  only  a  short  distance  when  I  saw 
a  man  I  had  not  seen  for  nearly  thirty  years.  I  stopped 
and  asked  if  it  was  such  a  one.  He  answered  in  the 
affirmative. 

"I  am  sure  you  must  have  forgotten  me  years  ago." 

He  looked  at  me  a  moment  before  he  recognized 
me. 

"This  is  Mrs.  Giddings?" 

"Yes;  and  I  am  out  on  the  strangest  mission  you 


226  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

ever  heard  of.  Will  you  allow  me  to  ask  you  a  ques- 
tion?" 

"Certainly.  Ask  anything  you  like,  and  I  will  answer 
truthfully." 

"Are  you  a  Mason?" 

"Indeed,  I  am  not." 

I  then  informed  him  of  the  word  received  the  night 
before;  that  I  was  sure  Mr.  H.  had  sold  himself  for 
office,  and  was  not  a  suitable  man  to  represent  our 
town. 

"You  may  rest  assured  he  will  not  be  elected,"  was 
the  gratifying  answer. 

I  knew  this  gentleman  was  a  man  of  influence,  and 
felt  that  the  Lord  had  sent  him  in  this  crisis  to  over- 
throw the  plans  of  the  crafty.  I  had  lived  in  the 
place  over  thirty  years,  and  knew  whom  to  acquaint 
with  this  Masonic  attempt  of  electing  a  man  to  office 
who  would  be  a  hireling  for  the  lodge.  Every  person 
to  whom  I  spoke  promised  not  to  vote  for  Mr.  H. 

To  one  influential  old  gentleman  that  I  met  I  said : 
"Such  a  Republican  candidate  has  sold  himself  to  the 
Masons.     Will  you  use  your  influence  against  him  ?" 

"Stand  for  the  right  and  T  will  be  with  you,"  he 
returned,  laughing. 

I  did  not  stop  to  argue  or  talk,  but  simply  said, 
as  I  passed  from  one  to  another,  "Such  a  candidate 
has  sold  himself  to  the  Masons.  Do  you  want  a  free 
man  to  represent  your  town  ?  Then  don't  vote  for 
him.  He  has  sold  himself."  I  only  walked  up  one 
side  of  the  main  street  and  down  the  other,  but  felt 
sure  the  tide  had  turned  against  the  Republicans,  as 
he  had  been  nominated  on  that  ticket.  The  town  had 
always  gone  Republican  before,  except  one  year,  when 
we  had  a  Greenback  representative. 

A  more  surprised  set  of  men  I  think  were  never 
seen  than  were  the  Masons  when  they  realized  the 
fact  that  defeat  and  not  victory  had  perched  upon  their 
banners. 


A  PERSONAL  EXPEKIENCK  227 

On  going  forth  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  1  did 
not  know  tliat  I  was  connected  with  the  election  in 
any  other  way  than  that  of  undermining  the  schemes 
of  the  artful.  Imagine  my  consternation,  therefore, 
when,  some  months  after,  the  wife  of  a  Mason  called 
at  my  home  and  said : 

"Mrs.  Giddings,  I  think  you  ought  to  know  how  it 
happened  that  your  land  was  recorded  as  a  gift  to 
the  town.  Before  being  elected  Mr.  H.  promised  that, 
while  he  was  a  selectman,  he  \vould  prevent  the  road 
being  laid  out.  Also  that,  before  his  term  of  office 
expired,  he  would  record  your  land  unbeknown  to 
you.  In  return  for  so  doing  he  was  to  be  elected  town 
representative." 

In  amazement  I  rejoined :  "There  must  be  some 
mistake,  for  his  own  uncle  told  me  that  the  condition 
of  his  being  elected  town  representative  was  that  he 
should  join  the  Masonic  lodge.  Mrs.  E.  sent  me  word, 
the  night  before  the  election,  that  he  had  accepted 
those  terms." 

"I  know  that  the  condition,  which  you  mentioned, 
is  vyhat  his  wife  and  his  mother  believe,"  she  respond- 
ed, "but  the  Masons  would  never  have  nominated  him 
merely  for  joining  the  lodge.  I  have  just  told  you 
the  true  reason.  Having  fulfilled  his  portion  of  the 
agreement,  he  was  so  sure  of  being  elected  that  he 
even  engaged  the  band  to  play  at  his  reception." 

Believing  such  conspirings  are  common,  I  was  more 
determined  than  ever  to  do  all  in  my  power  for  the 
deliverance  of  my  own  sex.  who  have  all  manner  of 
wrong  done  them  imder  the  sanction  of  vile  men  in 
power,  who  rob  the  poor  of  their  homes,  and  force 
them  from  respectability  into  the  worst  forms  of  vice. 

Beincr  assured  that  the  Lord  was  with  me.  and 
would  still  defend  me.  T  was  more  amused  than  terri- 
fied when,  on  Tanuarv  8th.  tqoo.  two  of  the  selectmen 
called  at  mv  home.    One  of  them  said.  "We  have  come 


228  IN    THE   enemies'  LAND. 

to  see  if  you  will  let  us  have  that  strip  of  land  recorded 
for  the  new  street.  The  trees  will  have  to  be  cut 
down." 

"If  you  don't  give  the  land,"  chimed  in  the  other, 
"when  the  road  is  made  you  will  not  be  allowed  to 
use  it.  Several  have  been  to  us  and  suggested  that 
we  make  the  street  and  build  a  high  fence,  so  that 
you  cannot  get  from  your  house  to  the  new  road." 

On  my  refusing  to  give  the  land  they  departed. 

The  August  following  the  selectmen  decided  to 
make  the  street  on  land  which  had  been  purchased  of 
,  Mr.  K.  Consequently,  they  assembled  in  the  office 
of  the  town  attorney  for  consultation.  One  of  the 
selectmen  was  a  leading  churchman  and  a  lay-reader. 
He  told  those  present  at  the  meeting  that  he  could 
make  the  road  and  not  get  into  any  trouble  with  me. 
Hence  they  resolved  to  leave  the  making  of  the  street 
entirely  to  him.  The  other  two  selectmen  did  not  even 
look  over  the  land. 

The  lay-reader  called  on  me  and  said  in  a  very 
friendly  manner  that  they  were  not  going  to  take  any 
of  roy  land  for  the  road. 

The  first  day  that  he  worked  on  the  road  he  com- 
menced to  scrape  down  in  front  of  my  house.  I  saw 
from  his  appearance  that  he  was  evil-disposed.  Wlien 
soil  to  the  depth  of  three  feet  had  been  removed  I 
offered  to  sell  material  for  grading  very  cheap.  "Won- 
der if  she  thinks  the  town  will  buy  anything  of  her?" 
said  the  teamster,  laughing.  "She  will  have  to  go  by 
the  way  of  St.  Albans  street,"  said  the  selectman,  with 
a  sneer. 

"You  are  destroying  the  road  which  I  have  had 
possession  of  since  my  house  was  built  twenty-eight 
years  ago,"  T  answered. 

"We  are  not  on  your  land,"  said  the  selectman. 
"The  town  attorney  is  back  of  us,  and  has  told  us  that, 
if  we  choose,  we  may  go  down  twenty  feet  all  along 
vour  line.     You  will  have  to  use  St.  Albans  street." 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  229 

"I  tell  you  what  it  is,  Mrs.  Giddinji^s."  said  the 
teamster,  "you  have  missed  it  by  not  giving  them  a 
road  through  your  yard." 

"Ihey  had  a  road  through  my  dooryard  for  eight 
years,  which  is  eight  years  longer  than  I  ought  to 
have  allowed  them  to  drive  on  my  land,"  I  rejoined. 
"I  am  a  taxpayer.  Having  helped  to  purchase  land 
for  the  road,  I  consider  that  the  road  should  not  be 
a  damage  to  me." 

"If  you  had  given  them  the  land  and  let  them 
cut  down  the  trees  this  would  not  be  done,"  said  the 
teamster. 

I  calmly  remarked :  "It  would  be  a  sin  for  me  to 
make  this  town  a  present  and  encourage  the  men  of 
my  native  land  in  robbing  the  poor  of  their  homes 
or  any  part  of  tliem.  Have  you  ever  taken  my  circum- 
stances into  consideration?  I  have  already  buried  two 
children  with  consumption." 

The  selectman  responded :  "We  care  nothing  about 
that,  and  are  only  interested  in  saving  the  tow'n  ex- 
pense." 

Shortly  after  the  road  commissioner  came  and  told 
me  that  he  must  take  a  strip  of  my  land  to  widen 
St.  Albans  street.  "You  know,"  he  said,  "that  a  few 
years  ago  this  was  a  wide  street." 

"I  know  it  was,"  I  replied,  "but  my  fence  has  not 
been  moved  nearer  the  road.  The  fence  opposite  mine 
has  been  moved  four  diflferent  times  into  the  road 
since  I  lived  here." 

"I  do  not  know  anything  about  that,"  he  answered. 
"I  know  that  this  was  formerly  a  wide  street,  and  my 
impression  is  that  you  have  moved  your  fence  into 
the  road.  I  am  going  to  take  a  strip  of  your  land  to 
widen  the  street.  Only  look  at  it !  That  highway  is 
not  two  rods  wide." 

"I  am  not  responsible,"  T  answered.  "Can  you  tell 
me  how  many  years  ago  this  was  a  wide  street?" 


230  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

"I  should  say  five  or  six.  I  am  sure  it  was  not 
more  than  seven  years  ago  that  I  took  particular 
notice  of  this  street,  and  it  was  then  wide.  My  impres- 
sion is  that  your  fence  at  that  time  was  on  the  hill," 
he  replied. 

I  rejoined,  ''My  fence  was  never  on  the  hill.  Do 
you  remember  where  the  fence  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  road  was  then?" 

"No,  I  don't  remember  anything  about  that  fence," 
said  he. 

I  then  asked :  "Several  years  ago,  when  you  noticed 
the  width  of  this  road,  were  my  trees  in  the  road  or 
were  they  inside  my  fence?" 

"On  the  inside  of  your  fence,"  said  he. 

"Then  I  think  I  can  easily  convince  you  that  my 
fence  has  not  been  moved  into  the  highway  since  the 
time  you  mention.  Those  largest  trees  were  planted 
in  Centennial  year.     What  year  was  that?"  I  inquired. 

"Eighteen  hundred  seventy-six,"  spoke  up  the  select- 
man. 

"The  fence  was  then  nearer  the  road  than  it  is  now. 
When  the  men  built  the  new  fence  I  told  them  to  set 
it  as  near  the  trees  as  possible  on  account  of  the 
street's  being  so  narrow.  When  this  land  was  pur- 
chased, in  1866,  this  stake  and  these  stones  were  placed 
in  this  exact  spot,  as  a  landmark.  The  fence  has 
always  connected  with  this  post,  which  accounts  for 
the  road's  being  narrower  at  this  end  of  my  land. 
The  fence  here  is  where  it  was  in  1866.  I  trust  that 
this  landmark  and  my  trees  will  convince  you,  gentle- 
men, that  I  have  not  been  stealing  the  highway," 
said  I. 

"I  shall  have  nothing  to  do  about  widening  this 
street,"  observed  the  road  commissioner.  The  select- 
man said  that  he  must  take  down  the  line  fence  along 
the  new  street.  As  the  fence  belonged  to  Mr.  K.  I 
could  not  object.    He  told  me  that  he  would  not  inter- 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  23  I 

fere  with  the  corner-post  which  was  the  landmark. 
Fancy  my  surprise  when  I  discovered,  the  next  morn- 
ing, that  the  post  had  been  removed  and  set  on  my 
land,  northwest  from  where  it  stood  originally.  This 
made  my  trees  appear  to  be  so  near  the  line  that  they 
could  be  easily  destroyed. 

Fortunately  the  old  place  where  the  post  had  stood 
had  not  been  covered  over.  Being  a  strong  woman 
I  put  my  arm  about  the  post  and  lifted  it  from  its 
false  position  and  placed  it  back  from  where  it  had 
been  taken. 

I  then  spiked  braces  on  each  side  of  the  post,  mak- 
ing it  secure.  Fortunately  it  rained  that  day.  so  that 
the  men  did  not  work.  The  following  evening  I 
carried  boards  from  my  shed  for  the  construction  of 
a  fence.  At  about  midnight  a  light  was  suddenly 
flashed  upon  me.  I  thought  it  was  a  dark  lantern. 
I  continued  my  fence-making  and  the  light  remained 
stationary  for  some  time.  As  it  slowly  approached  I 
perceived  two  bicyclists,  who  were  keeping  late  hours 
as  well  as  myself.  I  imagine  they  would  have  been 
more  greatly  surprised  had  they  known  the  cause  of 
my  building  a  fence  at  midnight. 

The  selectman  did  not  attempt  to  move  the  post 
again,  but  said:  "I  can  take  a  strip  of  your  land, 
one  rod  and  a  half  wide,  on  St.  Albans  street,  to  widen 
the  road,  and  you  can't  help  yourself." 

A  justice  of  the  peace  informed  me  that  the  select- 
men were  not  obliged  to  prove  that  the  land  belonged 
to  the  town.  In  order  for  me  to  hold  the  land,  or 
get  dama<ie.  T  would  have  to  get  a  surveyor,  look  up 
the  old  survey  record,  and  have  him  determine  the 
boundaries  of  the  road.  If  I  found  that  my  fence  was 
not  in  the  highwav  I  could  collect  damage  or  hold  the 
land,  but  I  would  be  obliged  to  pay  all  the  expense 
myself. 

An  attornev  confirmed  this.  I  then  understood  why 
the  homes  of  the  poor  were  always  trespassed  upon 


2.^2 


IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 


for  widening  streets,  etc.,  while  the  rich  man's  land 
was  always  spared.  The  poor  laboring  men,  or  women, 
could  not  afford  to  go  to  the  expense  of  proving  the 
boundaries  of  the  road,  which  would  necessarily  cost 
them  more  than  their  land  would  be  worth,  with  a 
chance  of  getting  into  debt  and  losing  their  home. 

In  regard  to  my  own  home,  I  could  prove  that  my 
fence  was  where  the  line  was  first  made,  and  that  the 


i 

\                s 

^ 

H 

^Hpp^^>-jh                    '^^^i 

J^2 

1,.       ^ 

^■gHMiiMiirilHH 

im^^^Hi 

THE   GIDDINGS    HOMESTEAD. 


fence  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road  had  been  moved 
into  the  highway.  Yet  that  could  not  save  my  land, 
and  the  eighteen  shade  trees  placed  on  the  line  to 
beautify  our  little  home  by  loving  hands  that  have 
been  for  long  years  cold  in  death. 

Under  the  present  system  it  is  safe  for  vile  officials, 
like  vultures,  to  light  down  upon  the  homes  of  the  poor 
and  heap  up  their  ill-gotten  gains,  while  those  who 
have  worked  for  almost  starvation  wages  and  denied 


A  PERSONAL  EXl'EKJENCE  233 

themselves  every  luxury  are  forced  to  yield  up  their 
small  possessions  and  submit  to  this  tyranny,  with  no 
hope  of  deliverance  except  through  death.  And  yet 
people  wonder  why  murders  and  suicides  are  on  the 
increase,  and  that  the  spirit  of  anarchy  has  taken  root 
in  the  hearts  of  the  American  people. 

To  resume  my  story  :  The  road  which  had  disturbed 
the  peace  of  myself  and  family  for  so  many  years 
was  at  last  finished. 

A  Free  Mason,  who  had  caused  me  nmch  aimoyance. 
came  to  view  the  new  street.  The  selectman  pointed 
at  the  bank  he  had  made  on  my  side  of  the  street. 
Both  men  smiled  as  they  walked  along,  looking  at  my 
land.  Yet  there  was  an  expression  of  shame  on  the 
Mason's  face.  They  walked  up  to  the  place  where 
my  driveway  had  been.  The  selectman  pointed  at 
the  bank,  hit  his  pocket  a  slap  and  looked  up  at  the 
Mason  as  if  to  say:  "This  is  money  in  my  pocket." 
or  "I  expect  you  to  pay  for  this." 

Instantly  the  Mason  flashed  a  look  of  extreme  scorn 
upon  him,  which  betrayed  that  he  would  not  pay  for 
the  jol).  He  didn't  glance  below  the  driveway^  but 
turned  to  go  back.  As  long  as  I  could  see  his  coun- 
tenance it  wore  ^he  same  expression  of  disgust. 

My  road  on  St.  Albans  street  was  cut  ofif  by  a 
ditch,  while  a  bank  six  feet  in  height  separated  me 
from  the  street  on  which  I  lived.  The  road  which  I, 
according  to  agreement,  had  used  for  twenty-eight 
years,  and  which  had  been  nearly  level  with  the  vil- 
lage, was  thus  unjustly  taken  from  me. 

A  few  weeks  afterward  I  received  a  dun  from  a 
tax  collector.  I  told  him  how  I  had  been  treated  by 
the  town  officers.  He  seemed  indignant  and  said  my 
attorney  ought  to  be  held  responsible,  for  he  could 
easily  have  put  a  stop  to  such  abuse.  He  kindly 
advised  that  the  best  way  for  me  to  do  was  to  pay 
mv  taxes  and  take  mv  case  before  the  board  'of  civil 


234  ^^'  "^^^  enemies'  land. 

authority.  If  the  board  of  civil  authority  did  not  do 
rightly  by  me  he  instructed  me  to  take  my  case  before 
the  town  meeting.     I  paid  my  taxes. 

My  daughter  Anna  and  I  presented  our  complaint 
before  the  board  of  civil  authority.  We  also  requested 
that  my  land,  which  had  been  recorded  unknown  to  me, 
be  discharged. 

Among  other  cases  which  the  board  considered  was 
that  of  a  widow.  This  widow  had  given  all  of  her 
property  and  several  thousand  dollars  to  the  church. 
As  her  dwelling  belonged  to  the  church  she  refused 
to  pay  taxes  out  of  her  allowance  on  the  ground  that 
her  house  was  church  property.  It  was  decided  that 
she  must  pay  taxes  as  long  as  she  occupied  the  house. 
"Very  well,"  said  the  tax  collector;  "I  will  get 
the  taxes  or  take  her  for  it." 

At  this  a  knowing  smile  flitted  over  the  faces  of 
several  of  the  men  present,  which  reminded  me  of 
another  tax  collector's  conversation  in  regard  to  what 
the  State's  Attorney  said,  as  recorded  in  a  former 
chapter. 

I  was  told  that  my  case  would  have  to  be  put  over 
until  the  next  week. 

On  the  appointed  day  I  went  again  to  the  board 
of  civil  authority,  but  few  of  the  men  spoke  to  me. 

The  selectman  who  had  scraped  out  in  front  of  my 
house  handed  a  cigar  to  Mr.  McAllister,  the  justice 
of  the  peace,  with  an  air  of  "we'll  smoke  her  out." 
As  Mr.  McAllister  did  not  light  the  cigar  the  select- 
man lighted  a  match  and  offered  it  to  the  justice,  who 
refused  to  take  it.  The  selectman  puffed  away  vigor- 
ously at  his  cigar.  All,  excepting  Mr.  McAllister, 
passed  into  another  room.  As  no  other  person  at- 
tempted to  smoke  the  selectman  soon  removed  his 
cigar. 

Mr.  McAllister  remained  in  the  room  where  I  was. 
and  after  talking  with  me,  said:  "If  the  selectmen 
have  done  anything  unlawful  they  must  be  held   re- 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  235 

sponsible.     I  think  that  your  case  should  go  before 
the  town  meeting." 

I  was  convinced  that  there  would  be  nothing  done 
about  it,  and  when  the  town  warning  appeared  in  the 
"Enosburg  Standard"  my  case  was  not  mentioned, 
but  the  following  letter  from  my  own  pen  also  ap- 
peared in  the  same  paper,  which  I  trust  may  help  to 
prove  that  this  is  not  a  work  of  fiction : 

From  "The  Enosburg  Standard,"  l-Viday,  February 
22,  1901. 

"has  grienaxce  against  the  town. 
"Editor  of  'The  Standard'— 

"Dear  Sir:  By  request  I  submit  the  following  to 
the  voters  of  this  town  and  to  the  readers  of  your 
valuable  paper : 

"I  have  been  a  taxpayer  in  this  town  since  the  year 
1875,  have  never  made  the  town  or  state  any  expense, 
have  been  honest  in  all  things  and  lived  according  to 
the  commands  of  God  and  in  the  faith  of  Jesus,  as  an 
investigation  will  prove.  My  interest  as  a  taxpayer  has 
never  been  taken  into  consideration.  I  have  suffered 
loss  and  damage  and  my  peace  disturbed.  For  years 
I  suffered  in  silence  ashamed  to  let  the  truth  be  known. 
Now  the  Lord  commands  me  to  speak  and  bring  the 
truth  before  the  people. 

"In  June,  1891,  the  first  petition  for  the  street  to 
cross  my  land  was  presented  to  me.  I  inquired  of 
the  selectman  how  much  they  intended  to  pay  me  for 
my  land.  He,  shaking  his  fist,  replied  that  they  were 
not  going  to  pay  one  cent.  However,  I  insisted  that 
they  must  give  me  as  many  rods  of  land  joining  my 
land  as  the  road  took ;  as  the  land  adjoining  mine  was 
for  sale  this  just  request  could  easily  have  been  com- 
plied with.  I  told  them  they  could  put  the  road  any- 
where thev  chose  on  my  land  and  I  would  exchange  rod 
for  rod  with  the  town.  I  never  promised  to  make  this 
town  a  present,  and  the  land  belonging  to  me  recorded 
bv  the  selectmen  or  man  was  a  fraud.     When  Select- 


^36  IN  THE  Enemies'  land. 

man  Cramton  came  to  make  the  road  I  told  him  he 
could  have  the  top  soil  anywhere  on  the  hill  for  ten 
cents  a  load  and  the  bottom  soil  for  four  cents  a  load 
or  less  if  he  thought  four  cents  a  load  was  too  high 
price.  He  took  away  my  road,  which  I  was  justly  en- 
titled to  by  agreement  and  had  occupied  since  1873. 
Thus  the  new  road  was  a  damage  to  me,  and  I  was 
obliged  to  take  my  garden  for  a  road. 

"i  have  always  been  self-supporting  and  would 
scorn  the  very  thought  of  asking  the  men  or  town  to 
make  me  a  present,  but  I  do  respectfully  ask  that 
they  return  to  me  all  the  money  they  have  collected 
of  me  in  taxes  with  interest,  and  as  atonement  for  the 
wrongs  I  have  suflfered,  set  aside  my  house,  Pleasant 
Hill,  free  from  taxation  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  as 
long  as  wood  grows  and  water  flows,  and  make  no 
further  demands  of  me,  that  the  selectmen  may  know 
hereafter  that  women  tax-payers  have  rights  which 
must  be  considered. 

"Trusting  that  this  modest  request  will  be  com- 
plied with,  I  am  yours  for  right  and  justice  to  all, 

"Sarah  Powell  Giddings. 

"Enosburg  Falls,  Vt.,  February  18,  1901." 

Having  received  a  blank  from  the  town  officers  for 
me  to  make  out  a  list  of  all  my  taxable  property,  I 
sent  the  town  clerk  the  following: 

"Enosburg  Falls,  Vt.,  March  28th,  1901. 
"W.  W.  Hutchinson,  Toztm  Clerk. 

"Dear  Sir  :  Has  that  strip  of  land  which  the  select- 
men recorded  as  a  present  to  the  town  been  discharged 
from  the  records?  I  never  gave  the  land  and  have 
requested  the  Board  of  Civil  Authority  to  discharge  it. 

"Yours  respectfully, 

"Sarah  Powell  Giddings." 

His  reply  was :  "There  is  no  record  of  there  being 
anv  action  taken  on  the  matter  you  inquire  about. 

"W.  W.  Hutchinson,  Town  Clerk. 

"March  30,  1901." 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  23^ 

The  refusal  to  discharge  my  land  from  the  records 
proves  that  it  is  safe  for  dishonest  officials  to  take 
from  the  poor  their  rights. 

The  Lord  refers  to  such  degenerate  authorities 
thus :  "And  tiiey  covet  fields  and  take  them  by 
violence;  and  houses,  and  take  them  away." 

Christ  says:  "Woe  unto  you,  scribes,  Pharisees, 
hypocrites !  for  ye  devour  widows'  houses,  and  for 
pretence  make  long  prayers." 

A  certain  widow  of  this  town  owns  a  little  home 
appraised  at  one  hundred  dollars.  At  one  time  her 
family  was  without  food  for  three  days,  and  at  an-, 
other  time  all  that  they  had  to  eat  for  a  week  was 
sour  milk  given  them  by  a  neighbor.  This  poor  wo- 
man told  me  that  by  selling  eggs  she  was  trying  to 
get  money  enough   to   pay  her  taxes. 

By  paying  taxes  she  was  deprived  of  the  very  neces- 
sities of  life,  while  many  people  can  pay  hundreds  of 
dollars  and  still  live  in  luxury.  Thus  it  is  that  "they 
l)in(l  heavy  burdens  and  grievous  to  be  borne,"  and 
lay  them  on  the  shoulders  of  the  poor. 

If  the  public  money  were  rightly  disbursed  there  is 
no  need  of  the  poor  property-holders  paying  taxes. 

The  foolish  expenditure  of  the  State's  wealth  is 
shown  in  the  following  heading  of  a  newspaper  article  : 

From  the  "Daily  Free  Press,"  Burlington,  \'t.,  Fri- 
day, October  13,  1899. 

A  ROYAL  WELCOME. 


Vermont's  Splendid  Tribute  to  Admiral  Dewey,  Her 


Most   Distinguished   Son. 


HERO  GREETED  BY  40,000  PEOPLE. 


Greatest  Day  in  the  History  of  Montpelier — The 
Capital  City  Does  Herself  Proud — A  Profusion 
of    Beautiful    Decorations — Dewey    Spends     the 


238  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

Morning    Quietly — The    Afternoon    Parade    the 
Greatest    Ever    Seen    in    the    State — Triumphal 
Progress  of  the  Admiral  Through  the  Streets — 
National  Guard  Makes  Fine  Appearance — Many 
Organizations  in  Line — Jeweled  Medal  Presented 
to  Dewey — Degree  of  LL.   D.   Conferred   Upon 
Hero   of    Manila — Newspaper    Men    Presented — 
A   Splendid   Display  of   Fireworks — Showers    of 
Rockets,  Fountain  and  Fiery  Dragons — Magnifi- 
cent Set  Pieces,  Including  the  Battle  of  Manila, 
the  American  Flag  and  a  Picture  of  Dewey — An 
Immense   Bonfire,  75   Feet  High,   Set  Off — The 
Admiral  Enjoys  the   Scene — Went  to  Northfield 
Last  Night. 
Admiral  Dewey  publicly  said  that  he  wished  to  be 
left  alone.     Yet  these  vain   displays  were  continued. 
Therefore  he  was  not  responsible  for  the  legislature's 
jangling  afterwards  about  who  was  to  pay  the  ex- 
pense of  the  Dewey  celebration.     Private  individuals 
had  pledged  the  amount,  but  after  the  display  they 
sent  the  bill  in  to  be  paid  by  the  State. 

The  following  is  taken  from  the  Public  Acts  passed 
by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Vermont : 

NUMBER  123. 


An  Act  to  Defray  the  Expenses  of  the  Dewey 

Celebration. 

It  is  hereby  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
State  of  Vermont : 

Section  i.  The  State  Auditor  is  authorized  and 
directed  to  draw  an  order  on  the  State  Treasurer  in 
favor  of  the  Enosburgh  Falls  Savings  Bank  and  Trust 
Company  for  the  sum  of  fifty-six  hundred  sixty-nine 
dollars  and  thirty-nine  cents  ($5,669.39)  to  defray  the 
expenses  incurred  in  respect  to  the  celebration  given 
in  honor  of  Admiral  Dewey  in  October,  1899,  and  to 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  239 

indemnify  tlic  signers  of  the  agreement  providing  for 
the  same. 

Section  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect  from  its  pas- 
sage. 

Approved  November  16,  1900. 

On  the  day  of  the  Dewey  jubilee  a  poor  old  woman, 
past  seventy  years  of  age,  was  languishing  in  the  jail 
of  the  capital  city.  I  became  interested  in  this  poor 
old  woman,  about  whom  the  following  appeared  in  the 
"St.  Albans  Messenger"  of  June  i,  1899: 

"Mrs.  Nancy  Stevens  of  Middlesex  held  up  the  road 
commissioner  of  that  town  and  his  men  Saturday  with 
a  revolver  because  they  were  widening  the  road  in 
front  of  her  house.  She  was  arrested  and  taken  to 
Montpelier  after  a  lively  fight  with  the  officers." 

I  here  insert  an  article  which  appeared  the  succeeding 
October  in  the  "Burlington  Daily  News" : 

"Mrs.  Nancy  J.  Stevens  of  Middlesex  was  brought 
before  Judge  Watson  and  adjudged  violently  insane, 
and  sentenced  to  confinement  in  the  State  Asylum,  at 
the  expense  of  the  State.  She  is  the  old  lady  who 
flourished  the  revolver  in  the  faces  of  the  road  com- 
missioners in  front  of  her  place  last  summer." 

On  reading  the  last  of  the  above  items  I  wrote  to  a 
woman  suffragist  living  in  Montpelier  and  inquired 
concerning  Mrs.  Stevens.  The  lady  kindly  replied  that 
before  receiving  my  letter  she  knew  nothing  of  the 
case  except  what  was  printed  in  the  newspapers.  She 
had  since  learned  that  the  road-men  were  acting  under 
the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Civil  Authority,  and  as 
Mrs.  Stevens  had  threatened  to  shoot  them  the  woman 
must  either  be  an  insane  person  or  a  criminal. 

I  next  tried  to  interest  a  woman  suffragist  at  Water- 
bury  in  Mrs.  Stevens'  behalf,  and  wrote  in  regard 
to  an  attorney's  advising  me  to  shoot  men  if  they 
refused  to  leave  my  premises  when  ordered.  I  also 
explained  the  contents  of  a  letter  which  I  had  received 


240  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

from  Mrs.  Stevens  while  she  was  in  jail,  stating  that 
it  was  through  the  advice  of  an  attorney  that  she  pro- 
cured her  revolver,  and  that  the  statements  made  by 
her  were  similar  to  the  facts  in  my  own  case.  I  fin- 
ished the  letter  by  begging  her  to  go  to  the  asylum, 
see  Mrs.  Stevens  and  learn  for  herself  if  she  were 
really  insane. 

Instead  of  her  going  to  the  asylum  and  investigating 
the  case,  as  I  was  in  hopes  she  would,  the  woman 
suffragist  wrote  me  that  "she  had  seen  a  nice  man  who 
had  told  her  of  Mrs.  Stevens'  career  for  years,  and  if 
Mrs.  Stevens  was  not  insane  she  was  a  criminal,  and 
taking  her  to  the  asylum  was  the  lightest  sentence  that 
could  be  imposed."  She  also  informed  me  she  knew 
nothing  in  regard  to  my  own  case;  but  she  did  know 
that  "if  women  were  what  they  ought  to  be  here  in 
our  Vermont  towns,  they  would  have  no  reason  to 
complain." 

As  to  the  truth  or  justice  of  her  ideas  I  will  leave 
the  reader,  after  digesting  the  contents  of  this  book, 
to  decide. 

From  the  "St.  Albans  Messenger"  of  January  8, 
1900: 

"The  conditions  of  the  insane  asylum  at  Waterbury 
are  in  a  congested  shape  as  far  as  the  number  of 
patients  is  concerned.  There  are  now  in  the  institution 
five  hundred  and  thirty-four  patients.  When  the 
buildings  were  constructed  they  were  planned  to  ac- 
commodate four  hundred  and  eighty." 

If  women  "who  are  what  they  ought  to  be  have  no 
reason  to  complain"  they  surely  have  a  right  to  inquire 
the  cause  of  so  many  people's  being  entombed  in  the 
insane  asylum.  This  State  has  a  healthful  climate  and 
beautiful  scenery,  while  nearly  all  of  the  people  are 
comfortably  situated. 

As  I,  through  the  power  of  God,  escaped  this  vile 
den,  I  wish  tocall  the  reader's  attention  to  the  insane 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  24 1 

asylum   investigation,  which  took  place  in   the  year 
1896. 

The  committee  of  investigation  reported  that  the 
north  wing,  which  is  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long, 
is  used  for  women.  One  woman,  in  the  basement,  was 
screaming  frantically,  and  finally  shrieked:  "I  want 
you  to  come  and  take  me  out."  Nearly  all  of  the 
women  were  middle-aged  or  past.  Some  came  to  the 
committee  and  begged  piteously  to  be  sent  home. 
Others  complained  of  the  way  they  had  been  sent 
there.  They  found  that  Emma  Hoyt  had  been  secluded 
day  and  night  from  the  12th  of  June  until  about  the 
middle  of  October,  in  a  basement  room,  about  eight 
feet  wide  by  twelve  feet  long,  with  a  cement  floor  and 
only  one  window,  which  was  shaded  by  an  opaque 
curtain,  without  clothing,  bed  covering  or  furniture 
of  any  kind.  This  room  was  in  the  north  wing.  Several 
attendants  testified  in  court  of  sickening  abuse  of  help- 
less patients,  many  women  being  confined  in  rooms 
without  bedding  or  blankets  and  entirely  naked. 

Is  not  this  enough  to  fill  the  heart  of  every  true 
woman  with  indignation,  that  one  of  their  own  sex 
should  be  thus  degraded? 

As  I  wish  the  truths  here  related  to  be  held  in  care- 
ful remembrance,  I  will  call  the  reader's  attention  to 
the  article  in  the  "Burlington  Daily  News"  of  Novem- 
ber 9,  1896: 

"The  increase  in  our  State  expenses  is  largely  due 
to  the  cost  of  caring  for  the  insane  poor.  The  in- 
creased cost  of  our  insane  is  chiefly  due  to  the  fact 
that  the  entire  cost  has  been  thrown  upon  the  State. 
Under  this  system  no  one  is  particularly  interested  in 
ascertaining  whether,  in  case  of  commitment  to  the 
asylum,  the  person  is  really  insane,  or  whether  his 
legal  residence  is  in  Vermont.  When  the  towns  bore 
the  burden  the  town  authorities  were  careful  to  ascer- 
tain that  the  alleged  insane  person  was  really  insane, 


242  IN   THE   enemies'  LAND. 

and,  if  so,  was  insane  to  such  an  extent  as  to  render 
his  commitment  to  the  asylum  necessary;  and  they 
were  equally  careful  to  ascertain  the  insane  person's 
legal  residence.  Under  the  present  system  the  State 
pays  the  freight,  and  the  slightest  possible  attention  is 
paid  to  the  patient's  real  condition  and  to  the  question 
as  to  whether  he  is  legally  entitled  to  the  public  care." 

To  prove  that  this  insane  law  is  still  in  force,  I  will 
quote  a  few  paragraphs  from  the  "Burlington  Daily 
News"  of  October,  1900 : 

"The  inaugural  message  of  Governor  Stickney  is 
a  straightforward,  businesslike  document.  He  would 
like  to  reform  the  abuse  by  which  the  towns  fill  up  the 
State  insane  asylum  with  people  who  have  no  business 
there." 

"Our  State  expenses  for  the  past  two  years  have 
been  $1,180,000,  or  very  nearly  $600,000  a  year." 

"The  insane,  the  care  of  whom  (for  the  biennial 
period)  cost  the  almost  incredibly  large  sum  of  $260,- 

000.". 

"The  legislature  ought  not  to  fail  to  pass  a  measure 
doing  away  with  the  immense  abuse  of  the  people's 
money  in  the  care  of  the  insane.  This  abuse  is  wholly 
due  to  the  system  under  which  the  State  'pays  the 
freight'  on  the  pauper  insane,  instead  of  the  towns, 
and  all  the  riff-raff  of  the  State,  native  and  imported, 
is  promptly  passed  along  to  Waterbury  or  Brattleboro, 
with  but  little  investigation,  and  less  endeavor  to  ascer- 
tain the  patients'  real  condition  or  the  persons  or 
communities  who  are  legally  responsible  for  their  sup^ 

port. 

If  our  legislators  "wish  to  institute  a  big,  sohd  re- 
form here  is  their  chance." 

I  carefully  read  the  laws  passed  by  the  legislature 
but  found  that  no  measure  was  taken  for  a  reform. 
Judging  from  what  I  know  and  have  read  I  conclude 
that  hundreds  of  sane  people  have  been  robbed  of  their 
liberty  and  property  through  false  pretenses. 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  243 

A  book  agent  told  me  that  she  knew  of  several 
cases  in  this  State  where  sane  people  had  been  put 
into  the  insane  asylum.  They  were  supported  by 
the  State,  and  the  guilty  men  who  conspired  against 
them  succeeded  in  depriving  them  of  their  liberty  and 
in  getting  possession  of  their  property,  which  was 
generally  sold  at  auction,  regardless  of  its  true  value. 

Through  the  trickery  of  her  attorney  a  lady  in 
one  of  the  Western  States  was  committed  to  the  in- 
sane asylum.  After  five  years'  confinement  she  pro- 
cured her  freedom,  only  to  find  that  twelve  thousand 
dollars  of  her  fortune  had  been  squandered  by  the  man 
who  was  appointed  her  guardian. 

A  Mrs.  French,  of  Boston,  was  declared  insane  with- 
out a  hearing,  and  made  a  prisoner  in  her  own  home. 
Being  a  woman  of  wealth,  she  succeeded  in  getting  her 
case  into  court,  and  in  securing  her  freedom. 

Many  other  cases  could  be  mentioned,  but  I  think 
these  to  which  I  have  referred  sufficient  to  convince 
the  reader  that  such  practices  are  common.  Consider- 
ing the  ease  with  which  people  having  full  possession 
of  their  reason  may  be  committed  to  the  insane  asylum, 
and  the  abuses  practiced  upon  the  demented,  rigid 
laws  concerning  the  insane  should  be  made  and  en- 
forced. Personal  liberty  is  precious  above  all  things 
and  to  guard  it  against  violation  is  the  first  concern  of 
every  citizen. 

Rev.  13:9,  10. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

CAUSES  OF  INTEMPERANCE  AND  ANARCHY. 

In  tliis  State,  liquor  may  be  largely  responsible  for 
the  abuses  practiced  on  the  helpless  poor. 

One  of  the  men  who  persistently  annoyed  me  about 
the  new  street  has  already  served  his  time  in  the  work- 
house for  selling  rum.  In  this  small  village,  supposed 
to  be  a  temperance  town,  six  places  were  found  where 
that  liquor  was  sold.  The  selectman  who  threatened 
my  life  with  an  upraised  axe  was  caught  in  the  act  of 
smuggling  liquor  from  Canada. 

Nearly  all  of  the  young  men  in  this  place,  as  w-ell  as 
many  of  the  older  ones,  are  said  to  be  intemperate. 

I  will  here  insert  an  article  which  appeared  in  a  Bur- 
lington paper  of  January  19,  1901.  As  I  have  no  mali- 
cious intentions  in  the  following,  I  withhold  the  name 
of  the  young  man  : 

"student  on  trial. 
"(Special  to  the  Free  Press.) 
"Montpelier,  Jan.  18. — The  case  of  State  vs. 


of  Enosburgh  Falls,  was  brought  for  trial  in  the  County 
Court  this  morning.  It  was  claimed  that  the  respon- 
dent while  a  student  at  the  Montpelier  seminary,  fur- 
nished intoxicating  liquor  to  students  *  *  *  i^gt 
November,  the  occasion  being  the  night  upon  which 
the  mock  session  of  the  Legislature  was  held.     The 

alleged  furnishing  took  place  in 's  room. 

"The  students  were  all  minors  and  the  State  claimed 
that  the  case  came  within  the  law  which  provided  that 
a  person  could  not  furnish  in  his  own  house  liquor  to 

minors  who  were  not  members  of  his  family.    

was  expelled  from  the  school  at  the  time  and  the  trial 

244 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  245 

of  the  case  lias  attracted  considerable  interest,  llic 
case  went  to  the  jury  about  4  p.  m.  and  they  had  not 
rendered  a  verdict  when  court  adjourned.  State's  At- 
torney Hoar  conducted  the  case  for  the  State  and  W.  A. 

Lord  appeared  for . 

"At  the  opening  of     court  the  jury  in  the  case  of 
-,  the  student  charged  with  violating  the  liquor 


law,  returned  a  verdict  of  guilty  of  two  ofifenses  of  fur- 
nishing. This  was  a  compromise  verdict,  for  the  State's 
evidence  under  the  charge  of  the  court  tended  to  show 
six  instances  of  furnishing.     A  fine  of  $20  and  costs 

was  imposed  and was  ordered  into  the  custody 

of  the  probation  officer  when  payment  of  the  costs  and 
sentence  as  to  the  $20  fine  were  suspended  as  long  as 
should  conduct  himself  properly." 

The  father  of  the  student  who  was  arrested  is  the 
man  who  sent  me  a  dun,  threatening  to  sell  my  place 
for  taxes.     (See  page  125.) 

I  will  relate  the  fate  of  one  poor,  motherless  boy  of 
this  place.  The  first  time  that  he  tasted  intoxicants  he 
was  forced  to  drink. 

A  few  years  later,  while  he  and  a  companion  were 
on  a  spree,  Benny,  as  the  young  man  was  called,  be- 
came entangled  in  the  wagon-wheel  and  was  dragged 
around  the  village  all  night.  Several  saw  the  team 
wandering  about  the  street  with  something,  which  they 
supposed  was  a  laprobe,  dangling  from  the  wagon. 
The  next  morning  the  towns-people  were  horrified  to 
find  that  it  was  the  lifeless  body  of  poor  Benny. 

Another  young  man,  having  the  advantage  of  a 
Christian  home,  was  virtuous  until  he  went  away  from 
home  and  was  enticed  by  older  associates  to  drink 
liquor.  He  was  then  taken  to  a  house  of  prostitution. 
The  liquor  and  vice  so  affected  his  nervous  system  that 
it  was  nearly  three  weeks  before  the  men  who  took  ad- 
vantage of  his  youth  and  inexperience  could  get  him  to 
resume  his  journey. 

Still  another  sad  case  is  that  of  the  son  of  poor  but 


246  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND, 

respectable  parents.  Several  men,  termed  moderate 
drinkers,  compelled  this  youth  to  drink  liquor,  and 
then  led  him  to  a  prostitute,  who  received  quite  a  sum 
of  money  for  allowing  them  to  make  sport  of  this 
schoolboy. 

Such  crimes  as  people  under  the  influence  of  liquor 
are  practicing  upon  the  young  people  of  both  sexes 
ought  to  arouse  every  true  woman  of  our  nation  to 
action.  We  should  demand  just  laws  for  all  people. 
The  lawmakers,  the  officials  and  the  attorneys  should 
be  held  responsible  for  the  present  state  of  affairs. 

I  do  not  believe  in  war  or  bloodshed.  Yet  I  do  not 
know  but  that  the  people  would  be  justified  in  making 
an  example  of  vile  officials  and  of  attorneys  who  re- 
ceive bribes.  The  Bible  says  that  the  Lord  will  bring 
evil  upon  them,  which  they  shall  not  be  able  to  escape. 
The  Scriptures  also  say:  "Pray  not  thou  for  this 
people." — Jeremiah  7:16. 

Officials  and  attorneys  who  swear  falsely  and  betray 
their  trust  by  protecting  crime  are  robbers  and  mur- 
derers. The  black  flag  of  oppression  has  long  waved 
over  the  heads  of  honest  people,  and  the  red  flag  of 
anarchy  has  been  thrown  to  the  breeze. 

IT  MUST  BE  SETTLED  RIGHT. 

However  the  battle  is  ended. 

Though  proudly  the  victor  comes 
With  fluttering  flags  and  pacing  nags, 

And  echoing  roll  of  drums  ; 
Still  truth  proclaims  this  motto, 

In  letters  of  living  light, 
No  question  is  ever  settled 

Until  it  is  settled  right. 

Though  the  heel  of  the  strong  oppressor 
May  grind  the  weak  in  the  dust. 

And  the  voice  of  fame,  with  one  acclaim, 
May  call  him  great  and  just, 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  247 

Let  those  who  applaud  take  warning 

And  keep  this  motto  in  sight, 
No  question  is  ever  settled 

Until  it  is  settled  right. 

Let  those  who  have  failed  take  courage, 

Though  the  enemy  seem  to  have  won ; 
Though'his  ranks  are  strong,  if  he  be  m  the  wrong 

The  battle  is  not  yet  done, 
For  sure  as  the  morning  follows 

The  darkest  hour  of  the  night. 
No  question  is  ever  settled 

Until  it  is  settled  Y\ght.—S elected. 

The  following  beautiful  lines,  from  the  pen  of  my 
beloved  friend,  Miss  Mary  R.  Keith,  seem  appropriate 
to  insert : 

GO  FORWARD. 

"Ye  wearv  slaves,  by  Moses  led 

From  bondage  stern  and  drear. 
The  Red  Sea  yawns  on  your  advance, 
While  vengeance  flanks  your  rear — 
Go  Forward ! 

Irresolute  and  faint  with  fear. 

We  see  them  halting  stand, 
While  echoing  down  the  halls  of  Time 

We  hear  the  swift  command, 
Go  Forward ! 

Though  into  seeming  jaws  of  death 

The  onward  journey  lay, 
Obedience  was  their  sword  and  shield, 

And  forward  moved  they. 

The  Book  of  inspiration 

Reveals  the  mighty  Hand 
That  held  the  waves  in  bondage 

Till  the  sea  was  crossed  by  land. 


248  IN    THE    enemies'  LAND. 

Oh,  weak  and  fainting  spirit, 

To  care  and  toil  allied, 
Are  many  bricks  demanded, 

And  is  the  straw  denied  ? 

Remember,  O  remember. 

Your  changeless  Friend  on  high ! 
No  manner  of  injustice 

Escapes  that  searching  eye. 

Undo  the  heavy  burdens. 

And  let  the  oppressed  go  free ; 
■  God's  will  is  done  in  Heaven, 

On  earth  so  let  it  be. 

"Over  a  ransomed  world  shall  float" 
The  banner  of  love  divine. 
And  the  laws  of  Earth,  oh  Father, 
Shall  harmonize  with  thine. 
Psalms  40:4.  5,  6,  7,  8,  10. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

MY  EXPERIENCE  WITH  ASSOCIATIONS. — A  REMARKABLE 
SERMON. — FALLEN  LEAVES. — A  SPIRITUAL  SIGHT 
AND  REVELATION. 

At  this  time,  having-  broken  with  the  lodge-ruled 
church  to  which  I  had  belonged  so  many  years,  and 
having  been  forsaken  by  the  people,  I  was  in  a  condi- 
tion of  great  loneliness.  My  heart  craved  Christian 
fellowship. 

To  satisfy  this  craving  I  united  with  several  diflferent 
Christian  organizations.  First,  by  letter,  with  the  In- 
ternational Order  of  the  King's  Daughters  and  Sons ; 
also,  with  a  temperance  organization,  the  title  of  which, 
as  given  in  full  on  the  certificate,  read  thus :  "The 
National  Christian  Men's  Union  for  Total  Abstinence 
from  a  Christian  Standpoint,  and  Rescue  Work."  This 
order  had  the  badge  of  a  red  cross  on  a  blue  ground, 
and  had  its  headquarters  in  New  York  City.  Col.  H.  H. 
Hadley,  the  famous  rescue  worker,  being  vice-president 
and  director. 

P>ut  again  I  was  disappointed.  When  I  expected  to 
find  help  in  bringing  the  truth  before  the  people,  I 
found  the  spirit  of  churchianity  preaching  charity  and 
cautioning  me  not  to  say  anything  against  the  churches. 
I  will  "lere  copy  a  letter,  also  a  pledge,  sent  .me  a  few 
months  later.  They  prove  what  desperate  efforts  are 
being  put  forth  to  save  the  dying  churches,  to  whom 
Christ's  warning  word  is  still  as  sure  as  when  spoken 
to  the  church  of  Ephesus  centuries  ago :  "I  will  come 
unto  thee  quickly,  and  will  remove  thy  candlestick  out 
of  his  place,  except  thou  repent." 

249 


250 


IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 


"St.  Bartholomew's  Rescue  Mission, 
"205-207  East  42nd  St.,  Near  3d  Ave., 

"New  York,  July  22,  1895. 
"Dear  Sister  :  Do  be  careful  about  trying  to  're- 
form churches.'  Reach  them  by  way  of  the  Throne 
and  by  your  example,  and  give  your  life  to  personally 
telling  lost  sinners  about  Jesus  and  His  power  to  save. 
The  world  is  full  of  those  who  zvant  Him.  Don't  waste 
any  time  on  those  who  don't.  Leave  them  to  Jesus  and 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

"Pardon  the  suggestion. 

"Yours  in  Him, 

"H.  H.  Hadley." 
The  White  Cross  pledge  sent  me  required  me  to  sub- 
scribe to  the  following  principle  :  "To  reach  and  win  to 
Christ  the  victims  of  drink  and  accompanying  bad 
habits,  and  all  non-church-goers  into  some  church  of 
their  choice.  *  *  *  This  movement  is  to  strengthen 
existing  churches  in  every  locality ;  hence  all  who  are 
connected  with  it  agree  not  to  criticize  churches  or 
church  members,  or  those  connected  with  any  other 
Christian  movement,  even  in  private  conversation,  and 
to  attend  their  respective  churches  on  Sunday,  and  the 
prayer  or  class-meeting  once  a  week,  if  possible,  and  to 
witness  for  Total  Abstinence  for  Christ's  sake,  by  wear- 
ing the  Blue  Button  badge  or  the  Lady's  pin  badge  of 
the  National  Christian  Men's  Temperance  Union,  as 
often  as  convenient,  and  to  induce  other  Christians  to 
become  badge-wearers,  thus  restraining  by  their  influ- 
ence the  young  and  the  weak  from  the  drink  habit  and 
making  Christian  Temperance  popular." 

In  joining  the  Auxiliary  of  the  Christian  Men's 
Union  I  supposed  I  was  uniting  myself  to  a  people  will- 
ing to  labor  for  the  restoration  of  the  fallen  churches 
to  their  original  state  of  purity,  for  I  loved  the  church 
still,  and  my  deepest  desire  was  to  see  her  cleansed  of 
these  scarlet  stains  on  her  garments  that  should  have 
been  pure  from  every  touch  of  defilement.    How  could 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  25  I 

the  churches  be  reformed  if  all  criticism  was  forbidden? 
Could  the  lodge  after  it  had  worked  such  corruption  in 
the  churches,  ask  for  any  thing  better  than  thus  to  gag 
the  mouth  of  every  professing  Christian,  and  make  him 
hold  his  peace,  no  matter  to  what  evils  he  may  be  a  wit- 
ness, when  his  duty  is  to  "cry  aloud  and  spare  not"  ? 

I  will  here  insert  a  part  of  a  long  sermon  preached 
in   one  of  the   popular   churches,   which   was   printed 
in  the  "Burlington  Dailv  News,"  Julv  21.  1900: 
"WHO  WILL  HEAR  OUR  PRAYER? 

"A  remarkable  sermon  by  a  Congregational  minister 
of  Plymouth  Congregational  Qiurch,  preached  yester- 
day morning  on  the  text :  '  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all 
the  earth  do  the  right  ? '  The  question :  "  Who  will 
answer  our  prayer? '  was  the  subject  of  the  discourse. 
In  part  he  said  : 

"The  one  thing  that  perpetuates  prayer  in  the  sense  in 
which  that  word  is  used  in  the  Bible  is  the  assumption 
that  there  is  a  Supreme  Being  who  possesses  all  power, 
who  is  able  and  willing  to  answer  human  petitions, 
and  whose  one  purpose  is  to  do  right.  The  significance 
of  that  fact  is  not  due  to  the  mere  circumstance  that  it 
appears  in  the  Bible.  It  is  due  rather  to  the  fact  that  it 
still  characterizes  the  bulk  of  the  human  race.  Man- 
kind cherishes  to-day  almost  as  generally  as  it  did  2,ocK) 
years  ago  this  faith  that  there  is  a  Supreme  Judge  who 
will  do  right.  That  is  the  faith  which  accounts  for  these 
churches  and  temples  scattered  by  the  thousands  over 
all  the  earth.  That  faith  is  implicit  in  all  our  religious 
services,  in  all  the  activity  of  our  missionary  societies, 
in  almost  innumerable  actions  of  our  life  and  customs 
of  our  civilization. 

"It  is  hardly  necessary  to  multiply  illustrations  to  es- 
tablish the  truth  of  this  assertion.  This  is  a  world  of 
prater.  Our  hymns  are  all  prayer.  Our  Sundays  are 
days  of  prayer.  At  least  once  every  seven  days  millions 
of  voices  are  mingled  together  in  prayer  for  almost 
every  conceivable  thing. 


252  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

"The  prayers  of  the  Boers  are  vain.  Had  they  not 
perfected  themselves  in  the  use  of  the  rifle,  they  would 
have  been  reduced  to  subjection  long  ago.  All  their 
praying  is  of  no  avail.  Their  nationality  is  a  thing  of 
the  past.  No  such  thing  as  a  Boer  republic  will  ever 
again  be  heard  of.  A  few  years  hence  not  a  hundred 
men  will  be  found  outside  the  survivors  of  the  two 
African  republics  to  regret  their  extinction.  The  faith 
of  those  men  is  a  delusion.  No  one  questions  its  sin- 
cerity. No  one  will  dispute  the  depth  and  earnestness 
of  their  religion.  But  it  has  no  foundation  laid  deep  in 
eternal  truth.  The  God  to  whom  they  have  prayed 
does  not  exist.  Here  are  men  and  women  praying,  be- 
seeching the  Almighty  to  save  them !  And  they  still 
remain  outside  our  asylums  for  the  insane ! 

"What  this  world  needs  to-day,  and  what  each  in- 
dividual in  it  needs,  is  sanity  and  light.  We  need  to  put 
it  far  from  our  minds  that  we  are  violating  some  divine 
law  when  we  affirm  the  supremacy  of  man.  We  are 
simply  asserting  the  divinest  law  the  human  mind  can 
conceive  of.  We  men  and  women  can  make  the  sover- 
eignty of  love  and  the  reign  of  justice  a  reality.  Within 
ourselves  and  not  elsewhere  does  that  sublimest  possi- 
bility lie.  Not  in  the  skies,  nor  in  the  life  to  come,  nor 
in  any  deputed  representative  of  Jehovah,  for  no  such 
representative  exists  or  ever  did  exist,  but  in  humanity. 
We  men  and  women  have  it  in  our  power  to  determine 
and  establish  what  is  right.  We  men  and  women  are 
clothed  with  the  only  divine  attributes  that  exist  or  ever 
can  exist.  We  men  and  women  can  answer  every 
genuine  prayer  that  swells  in  our  hearts.  We  men  and 
women  are  in  our  corporate  capacity  as  the  people,  as 
humanity,  as  a  nation,  as  society,  the  manifestation  in 
time  and  on  the  earth  of  Omnipotence  and  infinite 
benevolence.  In  our  hands,  on  our  souls  rests  all  that 
tremendous  responsibility  which  we  have  been  wont  to 
invest  the  being  of  a  God  with.  To  human  association 
and  to  that  alone  are  we  to  look  for  the  accomplishment 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  253 

of  any  just  or  loving  purpose  in  this  world." — Roches- 
ter Herald. 

Jeremiah  2:8-11-19.     Ezekiel  13:8,9-12,  13. 

Is  not  this  enough  to  warn  every  child  who  has  any 
fear  of  the  Lord  to  heware  of  the  secret  society 
churches,  whose  hirelings  are  teaching  the  people  to 
trust  in  human  associations  ?  It  is  no  pleasure  for  me  to 
record  the  mistakes  of  my  fellowmen,  but  a  duty  I  owe 
to  my  God,  to  wain  the  people  against  those  false 
preachers  who  are  destroying  souls  and  filling  the  world 
with  confusion  and  crime. 

Trusting  my  pilgrimage  here  may  bless  some  weary 
traveler,  I  will  record  another  token  of  God's  love,  and 
with  pleasure  tell  the  reader  how  the  Lord  in  his  good- 
ness finally  taught  me,  by  one  of  those  "parables  of 
Nature"  that  lie  all  around  us,  a  lesson  of  infinite  sweet- 
ness, which  I  here  relate,  hoping  it  may  bless  some 
lonely,  struggling  heart,  even  as  it  blessed  mine. 

For  several  years  I  had  set  great  store  by  the  fallen 
leaves  on  my  place,  which  I  found  very  useful  for 
banking  up  my  house ;  but  one  year  I  was  filled  with 
astonishment  to  see  my  leaves  carried  by  the  wind  and 
scattered  on  land  belonging  to  a  neighbor.  He  was  an 
infidel,  who  seemed  to  delight  in  deceiving  people  with 
his  false  doctrines  and  taking  unrighteous  advantage  of 
those  too  poor  to  defend  themselves.  Pharisee-like,  I 
compared  his  life  with  mine,  who  had  served  the  Lord 
from  a  child,  tried  to  proclaim  his  truth  so  far  as  it 
was  revealed  to  me,  and  always  had  compassion  on  the 
poor.  Had  the  Lord  taken  from  this  scoffing  infidel 
and  given  to  me  I  should  not  have  been  surprised,  but 
why  should  he  take  from  me  and  give  to  him  ? 

The  next  season  my  leaves  were  nearly  ready  to  fall 
when  one  night  there  came  up  a  terrible  wind  that 
howled  and  screeched  like  the  voice  of  an  angry  demon. 
Surely,  I  complacently  thought,  this  strange  thing  will 
not  be  repeated ;  but  the  next  morning  I  saw  my  neigh- 
bor's land  again  top-dressed   with   my  maple   leaves ! 


254  IN    THE    ENEMIES    LAND. 

Then  a  thought  struck  me  which,  like  an  arrow  from 
the  Almighty,  pierced  through  and  through  my  wrap- 
pings of  Pharisaical  pride.  I  thought  of  the  many  mis- 
takes I  had  made,  my  wanderings  from  duty,  my  pride 
and  impatience.  Could  it  be  possible,  after  all  my 
struggles  for  a  holy  life,  the  infidel  had  a  heart  more  ac- 
ceptable to  God  than  mine?  For  a  whole  year  I  grieved 
over  my  unfaithfulness,  when,  another  autumn  morn- 
ing, I  opened  my  kitchen  door  and  again  my  neighbor's 
land  w&s  top-dressed  with  the  beautiful  red  and  yellow 
leaves  from  my  trees.  On  everything  in  Nature  seemed 
to  rest  a  peaceful  calm — everything  except  my  own 
heart.  I  thought  the  Lord  must  be  angry  with  me.  I 
stood  looking  up  into  the  sky  with  clasped  hands  and 
tearful  eyes,  praying  that  the  Lord  would  again  grant 
me  favor  in  his  sight,  and  blot  out  all  the  mistakes  I  had 
made,  when  there  came  to  my  ear,  like  a  lov/  whisper, 
"Poor  child,  the  Lord  is  not  angry  with  you,  but  the 
infidel  is  an  object  of  God's  kind  care." 

I  looked  away  from  the  sky  down  to  the  peaceful 
earth,  when,  to  my  astonished  vision  everything  seemed 
changed,  and  my  eyes  were  opened  to  see  a  wonderful 
sight  that  cannot  be  described.  I  saw  that  all  was  good. 
Every  object  in  nature  seemed  to  be  praising  God — 
everything  but  man  who  had  defiled  the  earth  and  filled 
it  with  sorrovv^.  Yet  he  had  pity  on  even  those  who 
deny  His  holy  name.  They,  too,  were  objects  of  our 
Heavenly  Father's  care,  who  waits  to  be  gracious  and 
wills  not  the  destruction  of  any. 

I  am  but  a  dull  pupil,  for  it  took  the  Lord  three 
years  to  teach  me  this  simple  lesson  of  love,  and  tear 
from  my  heart,  I  trust  forever,  the  wretched  Pharisee 
spirit  so  opposed  to  the  mind  of  Christ. 

Let  none  of  his  children  grieve  if  cut  ofif  from  com- 
munion with  the  visible  human  church.  In  the  blessed 
day  of  Zion's  redemption,  the  word  of  inspiration  tells 
us,  "Every  one  shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord."  Nor 
need  we  now  depend  on  man-made  organizations  for 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIEN'CI-:  255 

spiritual  counsel  and  help ;  not  even   for   fellowship. 
"Is  not  our  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  His  Son 
Jesus  Christ?" 
Hebrews  8 :  10-13. 

PRAY   WITHOUT   CEASING. 

Unanswered  yet,  the  prayer  your  lips  have  pleaded 
In  agony  of  heart  these  many  years? 
Does  faith  begin  to  fail,  is  hope  declining, 
And  think  you  all  in  vain  those  falling  tears  ? 
Say  not  the  Father  has  not  heard  your  prayer. 
You  shall  have  your  desire,  some  time,  somewhere  ! 

Unanswered  yet  ?    Tho'  when  you  first  presented 

This  one  petition  at  the  Father's  throne 

It  seemed  you  could  not  wait  the  time,  of  asking. 

So  anxious  was  your  heart  to  have  it  done  : 

If  years  have  passed  since  then,  do  not  despair. 

For  God  will  answer  you  some  time,  somewhere. 

Unanswered  yet?    But  you  are  not  unheeded; 

The  promises  of  God  forever  stand : 

To  Him  our  days  and  years  alike  are  equal. 

"Have  faith  in  God!"    It  is  your  Lord's  command  • 

Hold  on  to  Jacob's  angel,  and  your  prayer 

Shall  bring  a  blessing  down  some  time,  somewhere. 

Unanswered  yet?     Nay,  do  not  say  unanswered; 

Perhaps  your  part  is  not  yet  wholly  done. 

The  work  began  when  first  your  prayer  was  uttered, 

And  God  will  finish  what  he  has  begun. 

Keep  incense  burning  at  the  shrine  of  prayer, 

And  glory  shall  descend,  some  time,  somewhere. 

Unanswered  yet  ?    Faith  cannot  be  unanswered  ; 
Her  feet  are  firmly  planted  on  the  Rock. 
Amid  the  wildest  storms  she  stands  undaunted. 
Nor  quails  before  the  loudest  thunder  shock. 
She  knows  Omnipotence  has  heard  her  prayer. 
And  cries.  "It  shall  be  done,  some  time,  somewhere." 

F.  G.  Browxi.xg. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE   TRUE    CAUSE   OF   RURAL   DEGENERACY    AND    MULTI- 
PLIED  DIVORCES. AN    APPEAL    TO     THE     PEOPLE. — 

CONCLUSION. 

The  "Christian  Cynosure"  of  December,  1897,  con- 
tains part  of  an  address  delivered  by  the  Rev.  J.  P. 
Stoddard  at  a  Peace  Convention  in  Mystic,  Conn.,  from 
which  I  quote  a  short  paragraph : 

"When  a  hidden  hand  is  laid  upon  the  arm  of  justice, 
rogues  rejoice  and  honest  men  may  well  be  thoughtful. 
But  when  the  tyrant  tramples  upon  the  marriage  vow, 
sets  at  defiance  the  laws  of  both  God  and  man  by  which 
the  two  are  joined,  and  dishonors  the  motherhood  of  a 
nation,  he  strikes  with  deadly  efifect.  When  any  clan 
or  order  separates  those  whom  God  has  united  in  holy 
wedlock  by  an  oath  of  concealment,  that  order  commits 
an  act  of  ferocious  vandalism  upon  the  home,  more  ter- 
rible in  its  consequences  than  the  tomahawk  and  scalp- 
ing knife  on  the  border  line  of  civilization.  When  thou- 
sands of  those  cliques  and  clans  combine  their  influence, 
they  become  a  power  to  wreck  homes,  incite  feuds, 
array  factions  in  hostile  bands,  and  precipitate  them 
into  deadly  conflict,  more  sanguinary  than  all  the  hor- 
rors of  savage  massacre." 

I  rejoiced  to  see  the  true  cause  of  the  general  lawless- 
ness and  desecration  of  home  ties  now  prevailing  so 
fearlessly  explained. 

Great  lament  is  made,  and  with  reason,  over  the  mul- 
tiplication of  divorces ;  but  the  agency  of  the  lodge  in 
bringing  about  this  moral  laxness  is  seldom  noticed. 
It  is  surely  a  signficant  fact  that  divorces  in  our  land 
are  increasing  in  about  the  same  ratio  as  the  lodges,  and 

256 


A  PERSONAL  KXPKRIENCE  257 

no  divorce  laws,  however  stringent,  will  strike  at  the 
root  of  the  evil,  while  secret  societies  are  multiplying  in 
every  town,  village  and  hamlet,  its  night  schools,  where 
men  old  in  vice  initiate  the  young  neophyte  into  "the 
true  secrets"  of  the  mystic  craft. 

In  this  connection,  I  wish  to  note  another  fact.  Dur- 
ing all  the  time  of  my  memhership  in  the  church  I  never 
knew  of  a  divorce  among  church  people  with  which  a 
Mason  was  not  connected. 

God  pity  the  poor  blind  Christianity  of  to-day  that 
encloses  itself  behind  narrow  sect  pens,  and  cannot  see 
beyond,  or  realize  how  futile  are  their  denominational 
hedges  that  can  be  overleaped  by  the  lodge-wolf  at  one 
bound.  It  is  characteristic  of  these  enemies  of  truth 
and  purity  that  they  "spare  not  the  flock."  So  far  as 
my  knowledge  extends,  every  crime  practiced  in  the 
church  of  which  I  was  a  member  for  over  twenty  years, 
has  been  committed  by  lodgemen.  And  not  on  women 
who  have  alrcad}'  fallen,  be  it  understood,  but  on  pure 
girls,  Sunday-school  scholars,  whose  innocence  should 
have  been  their  protection.  The  only  object  of  this 
anti-Christian  svstcm  is  to  defile  and  destrov,  and 
wlietlier  its  members  masquerade  in  bisho])^'  robes  or 
priests'  attire,  they  are  wolves  in  sheeps'  clothing,  seek- 
ing whom  they  may  devour. 

Church  people  are  absorbed  in  foreign  missionary 
effort.  It  is  well  to  think  of  the  heathen  abroad,  but 
what  of  our  perishing  heathen  at  home  ?  Many  weep 
over  the  girl-babies  drowned  in  China.  Would  it  not 
be  better  for  some  of  the  female  children  of  this  nation 
to  be  drowned  than  to  be  ravished,  defiled,  diseased  and 
driven  from  place  to  place  without  pity  or  protection  ? 

There  is  a  selfish  indifiference  which  comes  as  the 
natural  result  of  being  perfectly  comfortable  oneself, 
and  thus  unable  to  take,  in  imagination,  the  feelings  of 
another,  robbed,  oppressed,  or  the  victim  of  circum- 
stances to  which  we  are  strangers.  Half  the  world  does 
not   know  how  the  other  half  live,  and  this   is   pre- 


258  IN    THE   enemies'  LAND. 

eminently  true  of  the  women  in  sheltered,  guarded 
homes,  as  regards  the  sorrows  and  temptation  of  mul- 
titudes of  their  own  sex. 

I  believe  I  have  told  enough  of  my  personal  experi- 
ence to  disabuse  any  candid  mind  of  the  notion  that  the 
Masonic  obligation  is  a  protection  even  to  the  wives  and 
daughters  of  the  brother  Masons.  It  is  not  they  who 
are  shielded  by  these  unholy  vows,  but  the  men  who 
work  their  ruin. 

How  many  women,  the  wives  of  Masonic  husbands, 
are  passing  through  a  furnace  of  affliction  like  mine? 
Who  can  tell  ?  Their  story  is  known  only  to  God ;  but 
if  my  evidence  can  be  a  voice  to  the  voiceless ;  if  I  can, 
with  God's  help,  rouse  the  people  of  this  nation  to  see 
how  foul  and  dangerous  a  viper  is  coiling  about  their 
hearthstones,  I  shall  thank  him  for  every  step  trodden 
in  an^ish  and  tears. 

Nor  would  I  blot  out  even  the  darkest  experience 
here  related  if  by  its  recital  some  of  my  brothers  and 
sisters  in  trouble  may  be  helped  to  look  beyond  the 
clouds  to  the  true  Source  of  Light  and  Strength,  or 
roused  to  take  a  hand  in  the  battle  now  on  us ;  a  battle 
in  which  God  is  especially  calling  out  his  chosen  people, 
as  a  great  commander  calls  out  his  reserve  forces  when 
comes  the  critical  moment. 

My  story  draws  to  a  close,  and  thankfully  I  can  say, 
"It  is  finished,"  even  though  conscious  that  much  has 
been  withheld  in  this  history  that  might  be  of  profit. 
Again  the  heavenly  mansions  seem  to  rise  before  me 
through  the  mist  of  dreams.  I  see  the  rocks  towering 
high  above,  and  once  more  my  eyes  seem  to  trace  the 
long,  weary  journey  to  the  highest  of  those  celestial 
dwellings  where  I  thought  to  find  it  ended  in  the  peace 
and  rest  of  paradise.  Again  the  voice  sounds  in  my 
ears,  "Your  account  zuill  be  made  out  there." 

When  these  pages  are  published  to  the  world,  I  shall 
feel  that  the  special  work  to  which  I  have  been  called  is 
accomplished.     With  a  heart  full  of  gratitude  to  the 


A  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE  259 

God  who  has  sustained  and  strengthened  me  in  time  of 
trouble,  I  appeal  to  lovers  of  liberty  everywhere,  that 
they  be  not  deceived  by  the  boasted  friendship  of 
worldly  institutions,  for  they  contain  strong  delusions. 
I  John,  2:26. 

This  record  of  my  own  ex])crience  I  now  give  to  the 
world,  praying  that  God  will  use  it  as  an  instrument  by 
which  to  strike  off  the  fetters  of  sin  from  many  a  slave 
and  bid  him  go  free  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

I  appeal,  not  to  sects  or  denominations,  but  to  the 
people  of  every  name  and  nation  to  have  no  fellowship 
with  this  dragon-enemy  of  the  Bride  of  Christ,  and  be 
not  deceived  when  it  appears  in  the  likeness  of  a  lamb, 
nor  terrified  when  it  casts  out  of  its  mouth  waters  as  a 
devouring  flood.  To  them  who  are  anchored  on  Christ 
the  foundations  must  always  stand  sure,  and  no  flood 
of  ungodly  men  shall  make  them  afraid. 

"And  He  said  unto  me,  Write." 

I  have  heeded  the  divine  Voice,  and  now  humbly 
leave  the  result  with  Him  whose  glory  it  is  that  He 
chooses  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the 
things  that  are  mighty. 

I  John  5:5,  10,  12,  13,  15,  19,  20. 

[the  end.] 


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